Stuck at home these days and missing those fun trips to your favorite wineries? Bring the winery to you with your own DIY tasting event! Sorrenti Family Estate has prepared a list of wine tasting tips that will have you swirling, sniffing and sipping like the pros in no time! Share the tasting with your partner for a cozy date night or get creative and coordinate a video tasting with all your besties!
Sorrenti Family Estate’s Pro Tips for Hosting a DIY Wine Tasting
1. Select roughly six wines to sample (or more, hey, it’s your party!)
Browse our online store to build your list.
2. Determine the order of your tasting
Starting with sparkling! Sparkling wines are very light and will not leave a lingering taste, preparing your palate for more robust flavors later.
If your tasting will include both white and red wines, sample whites first, regardless of varietal. With less tannins than red, crisp white wines are a great start. Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are two popular selections.
Next, move onto red wines and notice their heartiness in contrast. Consider trying Baco Noir, one of the first reds grown and bottled by the Sorrenti family.
After, should you be tasting sweet and fruit wines, now is the time to try those satisfying flavors! The candy-like sweetness of Watermelon Rose´ is a pure delight.
Close out your tasting with a dessert wine or spirit for something extra special. With notes of warm apple pie spice, this Apple Pie Lightening is like a dessert and spirit all in one!
3. Have some snacks on hand to cleanse your palate between samples and bring out flavor
Starches like crackers, pretzels, and popcorn can be found on tasting bars across the country and are a perfect place to start for your own DIY experience.
Hard cheeses go great with sweet, sparkling, medium red or bold red wines, while soft cheeses are ideal with sweet and sparkling wines as well as rich whites and dessert wines. Cured meats are sure to be a hit with all red wines.
If you’re looking to stay on the lighter side, consider a vegetable crudité spread to compliment dry whites and sparkling.
4. Be ready to take notes
Wine tastings are fun AND informative! This is a great opportunity to take the time to explore your own palate and preferences. Who knows, you might surprise yourself and find a new favorite!
Grab a pencil and paper. Pro tip: fill a small basket with cute mini pencils to recreate the wine tasting room atmosphere. Write down your observations on the look, smell and taste of each wine.
5. Pour yourself a glass from your favorite bottle. Cheers!
