When Hosting A Wine Tasting Party, Skip The Decorative Flowers. Here's Why

Want to learn a bit more about wine, and have fun doing it in the process? Host a wine-tasting party. A great way to expand your knowledge, holding a tasting at home with pals offers the chance to do so in a comfortable environment. Beyond selecting some bottles and preparing a few things to snack on, however, it's also essential to properly set up a space for the best experience. While you might want your home to look its best, steer clear of beautiful bouquets — they could very well jeopardize the entire tasting. 

If you've ever had the pleasure of enjoying a tasting at a winery or wine bar, chances are that the tasting area was void of flowers. The reason is because their scent can complicate the tasting experience. Given their intense perfume, fragrant flowers make it difficult to evaluate the aromas of a wine. This can then seriously affect how flavors are perceived, altering the tasting experience. As a result, ditching the fresh flowers and dried potpourri is the only way to avoid competing (and potentially, overpowering) a wine's nuanced aromas. 

In the quest to create a fragrance-free space, there are some other strong-smelling decorative pieces to reconsider when beautifying your tasting room. Along with vases of roses, lilies, and the like, it's also best to refrain from scented candles or air fresheners. Moreover, it can be worth urging guests not to wear any perfume or aromatic lotions, since these can interfere with the tasting, as well.

Just because we suggest skipping the floral bouquets, that doesn't mean that you can't still spruce up your tasting area in other ways. If you're stuck on the idea of decorating with floral arrangements, opt for faux flowers made with silk or paper. Or you could go for neutral-smelling greenery and dried flowers. Alternatively, you can even fill vases with shells, crystals, fairy lights, or ornaments. Otherwise, create a welcoming and cozy vibe with soft background music. Just avoid dim lighting as this prevents an accurate visual assessment of the wine. 

With the space ready, tasting can commence. To make the most of the experience, especially when it comes to evaluating scent, be sure to serve wine in the proper glasses as different styles can release aromas in different ways. Additionally, don't overfill the glasses. A couple of ounces is all you need to judge a wine. Keeping pours modest will also allow you to better swirl the wine, which proves useful to fully reveal a wine's aromas. That said, don't be afraid to stick your nose into the glass (or even close your eyes) as you sniff — these actions can actually help you to concentrate.  

With you and your guests focusing entirely on the wine's bouquet instead of a floral bouquet, your palates will be more than thankful.