(Article Courtesy of FINELIVING.com) More and more Americans are learning to appreciate and enjoy good wine, by itself or with a satisfying meal. But with thousands of labels out there, taking that first step into the wine hobby can be a bit intimidating. A fun and easy way to learn more about wine is to throw a wine tasting party with friends. Sky Lance is Managing Principle of the Windjammer Capital investment company, and when he's not taking care of business, he's spending quality time with his family or entertaining friends in his Concord, Massachusetts home. A firm believer in the idea of following one's passions, Sky offers these simple hints for throwing a successful wine tasting party.
- Nothing fancy.
When you call up your close friends to invite them to the party, ask each person or couple to bring one bottle of red and one of white. But to keep the party casual rather than stuffy, ask them to choose wines under $20 that can be bought in most stores. - Simple comment forms.
Professional wine tasters have hundreds of terms to describe the various characteristics of wine, and each bottle is judged by standards that can be confusing to people outside the business. Sky suggests keeping things simple and fun by making up your own wine tasting forms, just a basic sheet where your friends can list the reds and whites they taste and write down their general impressions of each one. - Blind taste test.
To avoid preconceptions based on labels, you should pour each wine into a decanter. Sky suggests having fun with it by labeling each decanter with a different letter, and then let everyone try it. According to Sky, your guests will be surprised by the quality of wine that can be bought for a little money in the shop around the corner.
For more information about wine and wine tasting, contact a wine seller in your area or check out the following organizations and websites: Tasting Wine
www.tasting-wine.com
Wine Tasting Association
8501 Doter Drive Alexandria, VA 22308
703-799-1221
www.winetasting.org
Wine Spectator
www.winespectator.com
Wine X
www.winexwired.com
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