A good tasting at home is not complicated. You need a handful of bottles, a few clean glasses, and a room where people can hear each other. Everything else is comfort. Here is how we set one up, and how you can run your own.
Start with six bottles
Six is the number we come back to. It is enough to show range without wearing anyone out. A common shape is two whites, three reds, and something sparkling or sweet to close. If you want a theme, pick one country or one grape and pour it across regions and price points. Portugal alone can carry an entire evening, from a bright Vinho Verde to a structured Douro red.
Plan on one bottle for every two to three guests if you are tasting, and more if the night turns into dinner. Pours are small, about two ounces, so a single bottle stretches across a table.
Pour from light to heavy
Order matters more than people expect. Sparkling first, then whites from crisp to rich, then reds from light to full, then anything sweet or fortified at the end. Going the other way flattens the lighter wines. Chill the whites and sparkling ahead of time, and let big reds sit open for half an hour before anyone arrives.
Glassware and the little things
One decent all-purpose glass per person is plenty. If you have enough for everyone to hold two, even better, since it lets people compare side by side. Set out a water pitcher, a bread basket, and a spare glass to pour off wine no one finishes. Number the bottles or hide the labels if you want people to taste before they judge the name.
Food that helps, not competes
Keep the food simple and a little salty. Hard cheese, olives, marcona almonds, cured meat, plain bread. Salt and fat make wine taste softer and rounder, which is why a tannic red feels friendlier next to aged cheese. Save the heavily spiced or sugary dishes for after the tasting, since they overwrite whatever is in the glass.
Keep it loose
The point is not a quiz. Ask two questions and let the room talk: what do you smell, and would you drink it again. Those two get people further than any score. If someone loves a bottle, write it down so they can find it later.
When you would rather not run it yourself
If you want the wines chosen, the story told, and the glasses handled while you enjoy your own party, that is what our hosted tastings are for. We bring the bottles and the notes to your home, office, or our Miami studio, and you bring the people. Either way, start with six bottles and pour from light to heavy. The rest takes care of itself.
