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Prepping for Wine Night

February 18, 2022

Hosting a wine night at home on a Friday, and coincidentally a National Drink Wine Day on February 18? Count us in! There is no better way to unwind and relax after a grueling workweek than to indulge in the finest wines. Grab a few bottles and sip away.
Keep it intimate
Keep it cozy by limiting the number of the wine soiree to not more than 12 attendees, including yourself. Not only is it easier to plan everything you need from the number of wine bottles to the variety and quantity of snacks to glassware, but a small group also encourages conversation for the whole party. There is also a better chance to involve everyone all at once, rather than having side conversations when hosting large groups. Now, let’s go down to the more practical reason. And we will do a little bit of math here. A bottle of wine is typically 24 ounces, which you can pour 12 two-ounce tastings per bottle. Now if you have 12 persons in the group, that would be two servings per person. This can also help you identify how many bottles for each wine should you buy to have a sufficient amount for re-tasting. You can see how it will get complicated if the number exceeds 12 people, and that could also mean buying excess bottles, which may not be opened at all.
Select a theme
Choosing a theme for the wine night means two things: the overall look of the event area like the garage or living room, and the kind of wine tasting. Designing the area adds to the sophistication of the wine activity. Whether you will go for a romantic vibe or a classier layout totally depends on the mood that you are going for. This also calls for an excuse to play dress-up with your guests. Choosing a theme will also look great in photos. As for the wine tasting, you could go for a variety of sampling. Each wine tastes different that comes from different regions. Let us say you want to go for Pinot Noir. The variety that originates from California’s Sonoma Coast is different from California’s Russian River Valley. This can also be a jump-off point in the conversation. You can also host a blind-tasting wine night. It is a fun and interactive activity. Pour wines into decanters or wrap the wine bottle to disguise the brand and variety. Now, let each one of the guests guess what kind of wine is that. You can also prepare a prize for each correct guess. Not only will the appreciation of wine grow, but guests will judge the wine solely by its taste and not the value and brand that comes with it.
Let’s not forget about the food
What’s a wine-tasting night without food? We’re not talking about medium-rare steaks or 1-kg lobsters, save those for a more romantic and special occasion. Serve food that balances and does not overpower the wine. Mixing food with your wine intake will affect the taste of your wines. A good rule of thumb is researching food and wine pairing. For example, if you are tasting Italian reds, might as well look for foods that come from that region. Or look at the acidity level of the wine. If the wine has high acidity, do not pair it with foods also high in acidities like processed meats, beans, eggs, and certain types of cheese. On that note, we all know and are accustomed to cheese and wine pairing. But what should we consider before buying cheese for the wine platter? Generally, wine and cheese counterbalance each other as the creaminess of the cheese goes well with the acidity of the wine. Lighter and crisper white wine is great with less intense cheeses, while tannic reds go with bolder cheeses. You can also add into the platter bitter chocolates, salted nuts, unsalted biscuits, sliced fruits. Again, research on the sugar, acids, tannins present in the foods that complement the wine.
What else to prepare
Aside from the decors, wine bottles, and food, you also need to prepare the following: glassware, water, palate cleansers, materials for documentation. As color is an important aspect of wine (not all wines are created equal), it would be best to provide clear glassware and avoid the tinted ones. We know, the tinted ones add flare to the event but save them for another dinner served with wine. Palate cleansers can go from water crackers to simple bread. As you will be tasting not just one kind of wine, cleansing your palate will heighten the appreciation of each kind of wine. When we say materials for documentation, we do not mean just cell phones or cameras, but also pens and papers for taking notes. Yes, we love an educational wine tasting night.
Table We Recommend: Fleximounts WB102 Manual Height Adjustable Workbench
With all the pricey wine bottles that you will consume, a sturdy table will be your best bet. Not only does it have a wide worktop, the height-adjustable system will work to your advantage. The feature also adds drama to your setup by varying the height placements of the table.   Height-adjustable workbenches are heaven-sent. There are tons of work and activities that rely on a stable worktop. If you add flexible height to the features, this product is a winner. The user can manually adjust the level of the frame to match the desired size. So, whether you like working either standing or sitting, you can count on this workbench. The Fleximounts WB102 Manual Height Adjustable Workbench lets the user confidently handle any sitting or standing work with maximum efficiency. It enables you to elevate your workstation to its ideal height, with a height adjustment range of 29.5 inches to 44.1 inches. The extra-large crank handle offers smoother operation than standard cranks, so you can easily lift the desk, even with heavy loads, such as items like the computer set, toolboxes, car cleaning machine, paints, and many more. And best of all, you would never need tools to adjust the height of the table legs as is necessary for other workbenches without a crank handle. The WB102 has a solid construction, is made of a 1.5 mm cold-roll steel frame, and holds up to 500 lbs. Its worktop table uses solid rubberwood as a surface and has desktop dimensions of 47.2 inches x 23.6 inches x 1 inch, which offers plenty of space to work on. You can also use it as a garage workbench, home office desktop, or even sewing and crafting table.