Choosing Wines That Tell a Story

A memorable tasting has a beginning, middle, and end. Instead of selecting random bottles, choose wines that relate to one another in some way. Giving your tasting a story creates natural conversation and makes each pour more meaningful.

Consider themes like:

Around the World

Travel through Italy, France, Spain, Canada, or Australia.

One Grape, Many Places

Compare the same grape varietal from different regions and discover how climate changes flavour.

Local Discovery

Visit your local wine shop and ask for four bottles produced within your province or region.

Unexpected Finds

Challenge everyone to bring a bottle they've never tried before.

The $25 Challenge

Choose wines within the same price range and discover that exceptional wine doesn't have to be expensive.

Creating A Tasting Experience

Rather than beginning with bottles, begin with the atmosphere you want to create.

Ask yourself:

Is this an elegant dinner party or a casual evening with friends?

Will guests be seated for the entire tasting or mingling throughout the evening?

Do you want everyone learning together, or simply enjoying a few great wines?

Answering these questions helps shape everything else, from the wines you choose to the menu, music, and pace of the evening.

Remember, people rarely remember every bottle they tasted. They remember how your table made them feel.

Creating the Perfect Tasting Flight

Think of your wines as chapters in a story.Each bottle should naturally lead into the next.

A balanced tasting often follows this progression:

Sparkling

↓

Light White

↓

Fuller White

↓

Rosé

↓

Light Red

↓

Bold Red

↓

Dessert Wine (Optional)

If you're serving only four wines, simply omit one or two categories while maintaining the progression from lighter to fuller styles.

Giving guests time to revisit earlier wines after the tasting often leads to surprising discoveries.