A while back, I attended a fab blind wine tasting party. Not only was it so much fun, but was a genius idea for the hostess with the mostess looking to keep costs low (not having to stock a bar = amazing). This post is all about how to pull off a blind wine tasting bash of your own.
First of all, you will need a checklist and guest list, download our printable party planners here!
No. 1 // On the invite, ask that each person bring 2 bottles of the same wine (I would put a price limit – ours was $15 or under). At the party, you will open one of each and spend the night tasting and selecting the favorite. The winner will go home with all of the unopened bottles. So it’s more like a fun contest than a fancy shmancy wine tasting! *You can specify if you’d like your guests to bring red or white wine, but I wanted to keep it simple and let the guests bring a wine that they’re excited about.
No. 2 // Develop a rating system. This is how you will keep track of which wines you like the most.
No. 3 // Decorations. I decided to rent some tall cocktail tables instead of having everyone sitting at a long table and chairs – better for mingling. That, plus some IKEA frames, mason jars, and wine tasting 101, and the decor was done!
No. 4 // Have all glasses organized on one table for when the guests arrive. I printed out name tags for the wine glasses so guests were able to keep track of their drinks.
No. 5 // Have something to cover the label on the wine bottles. These burlap bags are very cool + they have the bottle already numbered so you won’t have to print numbers. Another option is covering the bottles in wrapping paper.
No. 6 // Sip, rate, and pick a winner!
Why your next party should be a blind wine tasting & some last minute tips:
- It’s inexpensive. This type of party is awesome if you don’t want to stock a bar & guests will be so excited for the chance of taking home the unopened bottles, they won’t mind bringing 2 bottles!
- It’s entertaining. Trust me, there will be no lulls at your party if everyone is busy wine tasting!
- Be sure to have beer available if any men are attending — from my experience, the guys weren’t exactly dying to participate in the wine tasting!
- Have fun with it. You’re not going to be able to please everyone or make them follow the rules of the wine tasting {I’m mainly talking about the men}. So just go with it, and have fun with the participants!
