What is the largest segment of wine drinkers in the US? It is the boomer-senior population group, which represents 50% of all wine drinkers according to the publication Wine Intelligence. That means we should be the generational group most equipped to have the perfect home wine bar and terrific home wine parties. Too often we simply reach for a bottle from our collection and grab a few glasses and that’s it. We could be having a lot more fun with the entire concept of the perfect home wine bar! If you are going to serve fine wines, especially, you may want to consider investing in the elements that make every sip special.
Start with Ambiance
Probably every wine drinker spends most of the time as a casual wine drinker in the kitchen while making dinner. But what about those date nights at home, or having friends over? Then it is time to reflect on what makes a great wine bar? What about those you have visited? Where do they start the experience?
Well, music is a must. In fact, most sommeliers say that ambiance is essential to a great wine bar. That begins with music to set the mood. Then add whatever else is out of the ordinary to make your setting beautiful. Flowers? Dimmed lights? Candles? Setting up a wine tasting area on the kitchen center island, complete with little snacks to support the tasting? Imagine staging some lovely candles on a pedestal with wine bottles organized around them. You’ve created a perfect home wine bar and something extraordinary for your guests. (Just be sure that your candles don’t have scents that will overpower the wine or otherwise get in the way of the tasting!)
The Perfect Wine Glass
Next is something we don’t think about in this era of casual dinnerware but that sommeliers find to be absolutely essential: great stemmed wine glasses. Yes, stemless glasses are great and convenient and oh so nice to be able to put them in the dishwasher. Stemmed glasses bring a certain glamour. The stem also helps the drinker be able to swirl the wine in the glass and hold the glass so that the wine doesn’t get overly warmed by our hands. Now, coming up with just the exact glass can be an expensive proposition, so what should you get? My advice is to purchase stemware that matches the majority of wines you like to serve and celebrate. So, if you drink Cabernet Sauvignon focus on those glasses rather than the different sized-and-shaped Pinot Noir glasses.
One thing with glasses that is so important is that they gleam and sparkle and smell like – nothing. No soap residue. No lint from the towel. We’re talking clean as can be. Even a cheap set of glasses from the grocery store can look fabulous when polished to spotless shine.
While we are talking about bar staples, lets think about corkscrews and openers. If you are going to be serving small pours in a tasting of many wines, consider an opener that lets you preserve the wine for future pours. Be sure you have a set of openers that matches your style and need.
The Wine Selection
Now for the wine itself. While some of us may have cases of wine in the wine cellar, most drinkers have a modest collection in a wine cabinet and maybe in a wine cooler. Both of these are great investments in furniture and kitchen essentials, adding style to your home. And they allow you to collect gradually and modestly, a few bottles at a time, until you have a well stocked wine bar.
What wines, you may ask? Base your collection on your foods of choice for yourself and your guests. If you are a steak and potatoes kind of person, you’ll want Cabs and Malbecs. But, if you are more into lighter red meat you’ll love Pinot Noirs. If you are a shrimp and salmon eater you’ll want a mix of whites, maybe some roses, and maybe some Pinot Noirs. (Base your glassware selections and your wine purchases accordingly.) At our house, Pinot Noirs and Malbecs take center stage for reds, and flinty, dry whites are on call for whites, with easy drinking roses as the wine-choice-of-ease especially in the summer. So our collection has that point of view. Your collection may be entirely different – and that’s what people want when they come to your wine bar: your point of view! Are you a collector of Washington State and Oregon wines or do you focus exclusively on an area of Sonoma? Show off your interests. It is great to talk about throughout the entire evening.
Try Small Pours
Fine wine tasting is not something to do over a full dinner. Serving dinner after your tasting. Try small pours – which look stunning in big glasses. Serve just a few wine-oriented appetizers. You can cover labels and let people decide which of two Pinot Noir they like the best, or you can showcase a fleet of wines to test.
You’ve got the ingredients for a wine bar to serve the finest of wines. Now start building your collection and invite your friends. Enjoy!
- Morningmountainview
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