Entertaining at home
How about a wine party?
By Guy Bower, special to the Wichita Eagle

Entertaining at home has become more popular recently. Your newly

decorated, or redecorated home can be a great place to share with family

and friends. And with the continued interest in wine these days as

evidenced by the proliferation of wine appreciation books, wine events and

classes available, it makes sense to combine the two.

A wine tasting party could be the perfect occasion to bring good

friends and great wine together.

While I firmly believe that enthusiasm for wine is a key

ingredient, a little wine education makes for a more enjoyable wine tasting

experience. Before you invite your guests, find a good wine book, take a

wine class or attend a wine event. A little education and planning will

take all the worry out of the evening and leave you with time for fun and

tasting.

Planning a wine party can be as simple or as complex and controlled

as you like. Let your busy schedule, pocketbook and experience be your

guide. Here are some simple guidelines to use when putting together an

easy, five-wine, "bring-your-own-bottle" tasting.

* First, decide the type of tasting you would like to have.

This means picking one varietal such as a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Further define the tasting by vintage year and region: 1999 California

Cabernet Sauvignons. Set a price range. Know that price isn't the best

gauge of quality but it's a start. Quantity is your call. I use one bottle

per guest, which means each of the four couples you invite would bring two

bottles of the same wine for a total of 5 different wines; 10 bottles

total.

Be sure to convey the rules clearly with the invitation.

* Next, assemble your ingredients.

- Make a tasting mat. On white, 8.5-inch x 14-inch legal paper,

either use your computer to design or hand draw circles for each glass.

(See note below*) Number each circle from one to five. You can include

lines in the midde of the page for note-taking. Make enough copies for each

guest.

- Have paper bottle bags (available from your local wine retailer)

ready and as guests arrive have them bag both their wines. Place a rubber

band around the neck so no one is tempted to peek and be influenced by the

label. Number the bags from one to five so the wine gets to the appropriate

glass on the mat.

- If you don't have enough glassware, they can be rented or have

each couple bring a set of 5 each. You will need a total of 50 glasses.

It's great to have all the wines laid out in front of you to compare and

contrast.

- Have some bread or crackers for palette cleansing, a glass of

water for each guest and a dump bucket or two for those who don't want to

drink all the wine.

- Provide a pen and extra paper for tasting notes. You can make an

evaluation form of your own or see note below. *

- To aid in wine assessment, you may want to have a University of

California at Davis aroma wheel to help your guests identify aromas and

verbalize them. A version is available at www.goodlifeguy.com (See note*).

- Pour two to three ounces of each wine into the appropriatly

numbered glass. Invite your guests to sit down and begin the tasting.

* Start with a visual assessment of each wine; compare depth of

color, clarity and viscosity.

Then it's on to "swirl, sniff and sip." Take your time, enjoy the

nose or aroma, hold the wine in your mouth and allow the wine to reach all

corners of your mouth. Swallow and enjoy the nuances and lingering finish.

Compare with your fellow tasters, take notes, identify aromas and flavors

and finish. Then it's on to the next wine.

Once you are finished tasting. Un-bag the wines and allow for

refills and casual sipping. Have a casual, wine-friendly buffet of hors

d'oeuvres prepared to top off the evening.

This is just one way to make an enjoyable and educational evening

of wine tasting.

Cheers!
Good Life Guy

Good Life Guy's Wine book choices:

The Oxford Companion To The wines Of North America
Bruce Cass & Jancis Robinson

The Wine Bible
Karen MacNeil

Great Wine Made Simple
Andrea Immer