8 Tips for Hosting a South America Wine Tasting
Great Value Wines from Uruguay, Argentina, Chile Revealed
Whether you are a wine novice or a serious wine collector, tasting competition events are fun and instructive. Why not host a wine tasting party in your home? Wine professionals always advise new wine enthusiasts to increase their own “Sensory Rolodex©” by sampling as many new wines as possible. Wine professionals also suggest active note-taking to prevent recall problems. “Can you imagine remembering everything about a wine after tasting 100 of them like wine judges everywhere must do?” This is a question I’m asked after judging. Answer: No, take notes. This spring I was sent 15 wines to sample. The wines were from Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile. This is a great reason to have a tasting party! We tasted some great value wines. I have my recommendations (the winners) below. Note: Uruguay considers the Tannat its “State Grape,” but it is grown in Southwest France, Texas, and other world wine regions. We have some delicious Tannat winners here.
See .pdf Tasting Sheet template below.
Top 8 Tips for Hosting a Successful Blind Wine Tasting Event
Tip 1: Select a Tasting Event Theme
Will you do a blind tasting and set up a competition for the guests to match a concealed bottle to a given winemakers’ notes? That is my suggestion. Will you do a vertical tasting of different vintages of the same wine? Or, simply, will you provide a tasting flight of multiple varietals, vintages, and winemakers to satisfy many types of wine drinkers? Know your guests and decide the most intriguing format. Maps are a great way to show the regions where the wines originated.
Some suggested topics:
* South American Wines- Can you guess the price?
* ABC’s of Anything But Chardonnay – alternative white wines you will love
* The Wines of Napa Valley
* Italian Wine – Which Wine Pairs Best with Pizza? Use wines from Tuscany, Lazio, Sicily, Naples
* Cabernet Sauvignon –The Best Cabs of California, Washington, and Chile
* Taste the Wines of Texas….. (or Oregon, Washington, Virginia, New York, Michigan)
Tip #2 – Blind Tasting Bottle Disguises - Guest “Guess” Sheets – An Answer Key
Have wrappers or bags available to hide the wine label for a blind tasting format. Make sure the bottles are hidden before the event begins. Number the bottles. If you are chilling the wine, make sure the bags are water and ice-proof. Provide two handouts for guests: a Tasting Note Log in one column and the wine guess in another, and a list of all the possible wines with prices. Make them match their guess with the bottle number.
For a “Price is Right-style” tasting, make sure that guests have blanks in the $$$ column, that they are instructed not to Google the price, and that you have one wine that fits outside the general price range. For our South America tasting the wines ranged in price from $13-$27, but one bottle was $50. For that correct answer, an extra 20 points were given. Scoring by bottle was like golf, lowest wins, with each point calculated from the actual price during the “Big Reveal”at the party’s end. Highest overall points win. Don’t forget to make yourself an Answer Key!
Tip # 3 Provide Wine Friendly Finger Foods
Offer wine-friendly foods such as cheeses, meats, bruschetta, and pizza. Consider asking guests to provide the appetizers. It’s tough to pour wines while holding a large plate
Tip #4 Use Measured Stoppers
Utilize measured bottle stoppers so guests can sample an ounce of wine. There are about 24-25 tastings per bottle. Measured stoppers can be found at wine supply stores or online. Otherwise, instruct guests to pour small quantities. Show them what 1 oz looks like in the glass. You will find that your Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or Grand Cru Burgundy goes first without these instructions!
Tip # 5 Set a Tasting Time Limit
I suggest two hours for the wine tasting. Guests’ palates will get tired after that point. Have wine disposal buckets available for the “spitters” or “dumpers” who want to simply sample, but not drink the wines.
Tip #6 – Have a “Big Reveal” at Party’s End
Have an end-of-event “Reveal” of the correct wine names. Dramatically cut off the bag and ribbon to reveal each hidden wine. Ask the crowd if they correctly identified it.
Tip #7 A Prize for the Best Taster
Be festive and give a prize for the most accurate taster or price-master. A bottle of your favorite wine might be the most appropriate prize.
Tip # 8 Linger Over the Wines and Add Dessert
Conclude the event with desserts and dessert wine. Remember that the dessert wine should always be sweeter than the dessert – to keep a wine from tasting flat or sour. I suggest dessert wines like Vin Santo or Brachetto d’Acqui especially with Italian desserts like cannoli and tiramisu. Finally, let guests linger over all the opened wines.
Annual tasting parties can be matched to an occasion, holiday, or a season. Tastings are memorable, popular events. Consider a wine tasting party following fall wine harvest season, pre-Thanksgiving, or as a salute to vintage release dates in the spring. My next party idea: 2024 Summer Olympics with Rosé wine. See suggestions: “The Best Rosé Wines to Drink this Spring 2024,”
Be sure to remind your guests that wine sensory detection is a practice sport, so practice often. Cheers!
Download Tasting Log and Wine Log Template
South American Wine Recommendation – Our Winners
White Wines
2022 Zuccardi Serie A Torrontes, $16
Robert Parker 92 Pts. – Tied Top Favorite White
2022 Calcu Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, $17
James Suckling, 90 Pts. – Tied Top Favorite White
2018 Ritual Chardonnay, $14
Robert Parker, 91 Pts - Great Value
Red Wines
2020 Clos de Fous PMB Pinot Noir, $19
Robert Parker, 91 Pts. Great Value
2022 Domaine Bousquet Organic Malbec (100%), $13
Wine Spectator, 90 Pts – Great Value
2020 Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc, $19
Robert Parker, 91 Pts. – Great Value
2022 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Escudo Rojo Cabernet Sauvignon, $18
James Suckling, 92 Pts – Great Value
2022 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (100%), $16
James Suckling, 90 Pts. Great Value
2020 Bouza Tannat, $27
Top 2 Tannat
2020 Grand Tannat Premium “Montes Toscanini, $50-$62
Top 2 Tannat – Best of Reds
2020 Viña Progreso Revolution Tannat, $16
Great Value
2022 Establecimiento Juanico Don Pascual Tannat, $16
Great Value
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Hi Carol, I love the music suggestion. Thank you for your comment. Tricia
Hi Kevin, So glad you liked it. Thanks for your comment. Tricia