Important: Always plan any wine event responsibly. Be mindful to ensure your guests do not overindulge during your event. Never let your guests drink and drive. Small tasting pours (1 ounce) are best and highly recommended. Limit wine selections to 2 or 3 bottles. Always serve food. Wind the evening down with plenty of cold, bottled water well before your gathering ends.
# 1 Join Our “Wine of the Month Club” & Our “Wine Ambassador Club”
Receive a variety of fine wines each month to share with your family and friends! They will adore you! Click here to learn more about our Wine of the Month Club and our Ambassador Club.
#2 Host an afternoon or evening “Sip & Paint” Event
Prior to the event, assemble an easel and a stretched white canvas for each guest. If using oil paints, provide turpentine and use small containers to distribute to your guests. If using acrylics, you can clean your brushes with water and to clean oils, purchase turpentine or odorless mineral spirits. There is a wealth of information about painting with a variety of mediums available on the Internet.
You may choose to provide sketching pencils, paint brushes, oils, acrylics and/or watercolors, for your guests or you may suggest they select the medium with which they wish to work. Send each guest a list of the items you will provide and list the items they need to purchase.
Have fun creating a couple of unique still life arrangements to inspire the artist inside each of us! Use your imagination!
Provide each guest with 2 wine glasses for tasting. Now, add a Bit of Wine Magic to the event by selecting 2 or 3 featured sipping wines.
You may wish to provide each guest with 2 personal wine charms. These little charms make great party favors! A variety of unique wine charms can be found on: www.etsy.com A set I love is identified on Etsy as: “Famous Painting in Frame Wine Charms.”
Inspire one another to be creative and brave as you enjoy a “bit of Wine Magic” together!
#3 Host a Mystery Puzzle Evening & Wine Tasting Event
Depending on the number of guests, select 2 or 3 intriguing mystery-themed puzzles. Choosing puzzles with 300 pieces is ideal. Set up a workspace for each team to assemble their puzzles, read the mystery story and solve the crime!
Wine Tasting Preparations: As hostess, provide 2 wine glasses per guest. Select 2 or 3 wines to taste and enjoy! The evening will be filled with activity, so create assorted charcuterie boards.
Plan to serve easy & delicious Charcuterie Boards
Create Grazing Charcuterie Boards with cheese, summer sausage, salami slices, fruit, veggies, & crackers, and your favorite creamy dips
Create Dessert Charcuterie Boards filled with a variety of chocolates, mini-cheesecake bites, as well as whole strawberries dipped in dark and white chocolate & served chilled
Now, let the pouring, feasting, and mystery-solving begin!
Provide prizes for the table of guests who assemble their puzzle and solve the mystery first!
Prize Suggestions include…
· Scratch-off lottery tickets,
· Gourmet chocolates,
· Assorted Gift Cards – Local Book Store, Restaurants, Movie theater or to a Home Improvement or Home Goods Store, Local Bookstore
· Be Creative by assembling a compact home tool kit, including basic tools, duct tape, electrical tape, a small flashlight, and other practical items to use around the house
· Use your “green thumb” to assemble a small gardening carry-all with gardening tools & colorful gardening gloves
· Provide a “bath basket” containing bath oils, soaps, and bath bombs. Include a great book or a couple of magazines.
· Purchase a miniature set of popular fragrances
· Gift a bottle of fine wine and a set of wine glass charms
#4 Plan a “Books & Wine” Event for Your Next Book Club Meeting
Sharing books with friends is something I look forward to each month. I love the variety of book selections from which we choose, including cozy mysteries, historical romance, self-help, inspirational, and non-fiction genres. Why not suggest your Book Club read about fine wines and choose a couple of wines for your friends to enjoy? It will be so much fun exploring the art of selecting, serving and simply enjoying fine wines together!
Let me share my personal favorite book selections about fine wines…
Commemorate your event by sharing a clever wine-themed bookmark with each guest. Find these on www.etsy.com.
# 5 Enjoy a Spring/Summer Backyard Picnic for Two
First, choose a fine wine that is light and fun! And although we think of white wine and rose’ s great selections for warmer days, remember light reds are refreshing, too!
When you picnic in your backyard, you have easy access to your refrigerator to keep food and condiments cool! Yippee!
Next, focus on assembling simple food choices, such as:
· Summer Sausage Slices, Baked or Fried Chicken, Sliced Ham
· Assorted Soft & Hard Cheeses
· Assorted Crackers & Breads
· Assorted Nuts
· Assorted fruit, including strawberries, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple slices, watermelon slices
· Assorted vegetables, including olives, baby carrots or carrot slices, cucumber slices, fresh squash (sliced), cauliflower florettes, sweet pickles
· Condiments: Mayonaise, Mustard (Caution: Keep Mayonaise Cool)
A Gentle Reminder – Don’t forget to Add America’s Favorite Picnic Food: Potato Salad!
Dessert:
Choose a simple dessert, such as sliced pound cake. Bake from scratch or buy a fresh pound cake from your favorite store bakery – you decide! Slice and top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
Cookies, lemon bars, and anything chocolate are always great choices, too!
Picnic Essentials:
Choose a beautiful Spring day and add…
A Picnic Blanket or Tablecloth for Picnic Table
Pillows, for reclining
Plates
Napkins
Cups
Necessary utensils for eating & serving
A trash bag for quick & easy clean-up
Cooled Bottles of Water
Wine Glasses
…and most importantly…a Cork Screw for the Wine!
Now….add your favorite music!
