A wine tasting menu is a guide to help a guest know what foods and drinks will be served at the event. The wine choices on the menu can also serve as a promotion, so that guests will purchase bottles before they leave the event.
Instructions
1. Put together a selection of at least 6 to 8 wines for tasting. A Chardonnay pairs nicely with pasta and vegetable dishes and a Merlot goes well with steak. Finally, choose Cabernet Sauvignon to complement strong-flavored cheeses like Gorgonzola.
2. Select wines of roughly the same age to minimize the number of tasting variables. This kind of comparative tasting is perfect for learning how various regions contribute their own distinctive character to the same variety of wine.
3. Provide food for the wine tasting table area. Keep the selection of food for this area simple and neutral. Combine baguette slices with an assortment of crackers, allowing guests to cleanse their palates between wines.
4. Serve a light salad as a starter dish. Combine in-season greens, such as arugula, with a seasonal fruit like pears or apples, and top this mix with shavings of parmigiano-reggiano cheese. When creating a salad course, it's best to consider foods that are in season and pair them with seasonal wine offerings.
5. Choose a main course if you will be serving dinner or lunch at the wine tasting. Make a chicken, fish or meat entree as the central attraction. Provide a wine selection that goes with the main course, picking white wine with poultry or fish and red wine with beef.
6. Put together a menu in a binder-and-tassel holder. Be sure there is a specific area of the menu describing the wine offerings--broken down by color and type. Use a medium-gauge paper stock for the menu sheet, so that it will hold up well and look more appealing.
7. Develop a list of appetizers to add to your menu. Offer bite-sized foods that are easy to hold and not too hot, avoiding those that require dipping sauces. Appetizers that are appropriate for a wine tasting include crab balls, sliced vegetables and mini quiches.
Tags: wine tasting, foods that, main course, wine with, with seasonal