Pop, Fizz, Clink! 5 Tips For Hosting A Sparkling Wine Party

Happy Friday, friends! Let’s pop some corks, and kick off the weekend with a sparkling wine party! Who’s in?? With spring finally in the air, a sparkling wine party just seems perfect, doesn’t it? While you certainly don’t need any special occasion to host a sparkling wine party, wouldn’t this be a really fun way to celebrate Easter, or how about Mother’s Day?? (I know this mama would be game!)

Today I’m outlining my top 5 tips for hosting a sparkling wine party. Because enjoying some bubbles and bites with friends is what life’s all about, right?? Plus I’m sharing the #1 mistake I see people make when tasting a Champagne or sparkling wine. So grab a glass, and let’s get started!

Tip 1: Choose Good Sparkling Wine!

Ok this one might seem obvious, but have you ever stood in the wine aisle at the store, reading endless wine labels, trying to figure out which one is actually good? Because I sure have! That’s why I was so excited to discover Gruet Winery. They offer a wide selection of delicious sparkling wines at really reasonable prices, which I love! 

I recommend for a sparkling wine party, selecting 3-5 different champagnes. For my party I chose the Gruet Brut Rose, Gruet Brut, Sauvage and Blanc de Blancs. This Gruet Demi Sec would also be a great addition! It’s fun to have a variety, because when you taste sparkling wines back to back, you notice characteristics you may not have otherwise. Which brings me to my next tip!

Tip 2: Provide Tasting Notes

If you’re like me and my friends, our first focus of getting together is always to have a good time! So you can take tasting notes as seriously as you like! But they’re a fun way to encourage conversation about the wines, learn a little bit more about what you like, and also is a great way to remember what your favorites were so you can revisit them later! Without my notes, I’d be lost!

Some things you can think about when you’re tasting sparkling wine:

• How does it look? Is it clear or cloudy? Pale or golden? How big are the bubbles?
• How does it smell? Remember, you don’t need to swirl champagne before smelling it. Does anything come to mind? Apples? Lemons? Florals? 
• How does it taste? The moment you’ve been waiting for! Does it taste similar to how it smelled? Different? Do any flavors come immediately to mind? Is it dry? Fruity? 
• The #1 Sparkling Wine Tasting Mistake? Forgetting that you don’t need to know a lot about wine to appreciate it! Just like any wine, the whole point is to enjoy it! 

Side note: I also personally like to print out the tasting notes provided on the winery website – that way after everyone has tasted the wine and had a chance to figure out tastes on their own, we can compare notes with the experts!

Tip 3: Set the Scene

You certainly don’t need to host your party at the Ritz, but it’s always fun to take a little extra time and put together a fun table for your friends. For my table, I took my inspiration from the pretty peonies and went with a blush and gold theme. Definitely nothing complicated, but it made sitting down to the table that just more fun!

Tip 4: Pick some food pairings! 

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post on just this topic, and you can find it here! You’ll find easy and delicious food pairing for each of the sparkling wines mentioned here. When I’m hosting an event, I like to keep food prep as quick and easy as possible, so you’ll notice that it takes fewer than 30 minutes to prepare all four recipes.

Tip 5: Have fun! 

Pop the bottles, pour the bubbly, and have a good time! It is, after all, a party! Cheers! 

Thank you to Gruet Winery for making amazing wines, and sponsoring this post.