Wine Tasting Essentials

Preparation for your wine tasting party shouldn't rival that of an international summit. Keep it simple. Keep it fun. And, keep a supply of these essentials on hand:

The wine, of course. We recommend five to six different wines - enough to liven the discussion, without overwhelming your guests. The number of guests will determine the amount of wine needed. As a general rule of thumb, one bottle of wine yields about eight three-ounce samples. For a party with 12-15 guests, you'll need two bottles of each featured wine.

Wine glasses. Provide each guest with a wine glass, and keep a few extras available.

Dump bucket. Place a dump bucket on your tasting table for discarding wine between each pouring.

Water pitcher. Your guests will need to rinse their glasses before pouring the next wine.

Crackers or bread. Provide crackers or fresh bread to cleanse the palate between each tasting.

Light hors d'oeuvres. Consider offering your guests a delectable display of fresh cheeses, nuts, figs and apple slices to complement the wines.

Tasting note cards. Create cards for your guests to describe each wine and record any noteworthy observations. Let the cards launch a lively discussion about the wines.