THE GODDESS OF WINES  HOME PAGE


There are those of us who really like wine but may not feel like we know all that much about it. Wouldn't it be fun to get together with some friends and some bottles of wine and get a bit more attuned to what strikes our individual fancies? No rules, no rights or wrongs, just some slightly reflective sipping with some wine-loving pals. Here is how to do just that.Some people gravitate towards white wines, others toward reds.

CHOOSE A THEME
A wine tasting with random bottles might be fun but would you learn the difference between a white Bordeaux from France and a pinot noir from Oregon? Choose a theme and focus in on a specific. It could be something as simple as just California white wines. By choosing just California white you would be able to compare and contrast those wines with something in common and may gain a better understanding about a particular type of wine. Another theme could be wine from a particular country or region. The theme you choose could also be based on the type of grape or grapes used.

INVITATIONS
Invitations can be purchased from a store, hand made, electronic online or printed thru an online service.

 WHAT TO SERVE
Not sure what to serve?
How about a Charcuterie Board?


  • Choose a board or platter
  • Fill small containers with
    dips, olives and jellies
  • Add cheeses and meats
  • Add breads and crackers
  • Add fruits, veggies and herbs
Enjoy! Have Fun And Talk Wine!

VERITCAL OR HORIZONTAL TASTING
One way to focus and organize a wine tasting is to choose a "vertical" or "horizontal" tasting. A vertical tasting features wine from the same producer but from multiple years. If you have ever visited a vineyard and done a wine tasting chances are you did a vertical tasting. This kind of tasting illustrates the difference between vintages. A horizontal tasting compares a group of wines with similarities, such as the type of grape, region or wine style. Often a single year is chosen. That enables you to compare grapes different grape varities. You might choose all sangiovese possibly from the same year but from different producers. This is also known as a varietal tasting.

SINGLE VARIETY BLIND TASTING
If you want to make it into a fun game, follow these steps to hosting a single-variety blind tasting from Eric Hemer, master sommelier and corporate director of wine education for Southern Glazer's.
  1. Select four white wines, such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling and pinot grigio, or four red wines, such as cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, sangiovese (such as Chianti from Italy) and tempranillo (such as Rioja from Spain).
  2. Open and wrap each bottle in a paper lunch bag or burlap sack, and number the bottles 1 to 4. Have someone mix the wines up so you won't know which is which and can participate in the tasting.
  3. Set the table with 4 wineglasses per person on a plain white 8.5-by-11-inch paper and write 1 to 4 below each glass. Pour 2 ounces of each wine into each corresponding glass.
  4. Have water and crackers available so your guests can "cleanse their palates" after each wine.
  5. Have prepared a handout for each guest with a brief description guide to each of the wine varieties you'll be tasting. You can find such descriptions online or in books on wine.
  6. Then sit down and have fun! Take turns talking about each wine as you taste it, consult your guides, and have each guest say what he or she thinks the wine is. Record the answers.
Keep track of who gets the most wines correct and award a prize (maybe a great bottle of wine!) for the person who gets the most right answers.

HOW MANY BOTTLES?
For up to 10 people between six and ten bottles may be a good choice. If your group of friends is more than 10 people you may need two bottles of the same wine.

FOOD DEFINETLY
If your chosen theme is a country or a region select food from the same area. Light fare works best with wine tasting parties.

YES TO THE BREAD
Both bread and crackers help to clear palates between tastings. Add a plate of assorted cheeses and small slices of pepperoni or salami if you'd like.

GLASSWARE
You can go with one glass per person, but if you offer two, people can taste two wines at the same time and see how they compare and contrast.

MUSIC
"Red, Red Wine" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

PENS AND SCORE CARDS
Print out cards with each wine listed, the year, region, and space for tasting notes.

TEMPERATURE IS IMPORTANT
White wines should be between 50 and 55 degrees (it's good to take them out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving), and reds should be between 60 and 65 degrees (this often means putting them in the fridge for 15 to 30 or so minutes before serving). Whites that are too cold will not have as open a scent and taste, and reds that are too warm may taste heavy and dull.

TO AIR OR NOT? Aerating wine is a means of exposing wine to air or giving it a chance to "breathe" before drinking it. The reaction between gases in air and wine changes the flavor of the wine which is more noticable with red wines rather than whites. You cannot effectively aerate wine in a bottle by just removing the cork and letting it sit because of the minimal surface area. There are several styles of wine aeraters available. Consider purchasing an wine aerater that also pours, filters wine and will re-cork the bottle.

WHERE'S THE SPITTOON?
Give your guests the option to spit out some wine or pour out unwanted wine from their glasses.