Celebrate the season with an intimate wine tasting party at home to benefit charity. This post is sponsored by Noble Vines. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Content intended for audiences 21+.

A beautiful outdoor table topped with a charcuterie board, wines, and wine glasses in front of a fireplace to show how to host a wine tasting party at home.

I love partnering with brands and non-profits that are doing good in the world, so I jumped right at the chance to partner with Noble Vines to share what they are doing, and share a simple fundraising idea for you. Although this post is sponsored, I decided, in the spirit of holiday giving, I’d be donating 100% of my earnings to a non-profit dear to my heart. 

Noble Vines is partnering with AmpleHarvest.org to pair farmers and gardeners across the US with food banks to take surplus goods and distribute them locally, providing healthier options and eliminating garden food waste. You can help them to ‘Pour Good’ by purchasing Noble Vines at your local retailer and supporting AmpleHarvest.org.

A man pours a glass of Noble Vines chardonnay at a backyard home wine tasting party.

Wines to Serve and How Much 

The standard is about 3 glasses per person. A standard 750 milliliter bottle of wine contains about 5 5-oz. pours. 

Choose a few different types of wine, such as 337® Cabernet Sauvignon and 446® Chardonnay, which I like because of their commitment to quality winemaking and spreading acts of kindness and generosity. As part of Noble Vines 2020 hunger relief efforts, they are partnering with 26 local food banks/pantries across 19 states.

 

Don’t see your favorite store in the Myxx app? Click here to find Noble Vines wine near you.

A beautiful charcuterie board with fruit, nuts, cheeses, and spreads.

Wine Tasting Appetizers 

My favorite way to host a get-together is with a big beautiful charcuterie board. I loaded this one up with mostly seasonal ingredients found in my backyard and the grocery store, plus a couple of cheeses, nuts, crackers, and fig jam. 

Hummus Crostini and Sweet Potato Crostini are also tasty options. I love to make a big batch of my favorite hummus from scratch and serve with colorful veggies.

 

Fundraiser Ideas for Wine Night

  • If your wine tasting night is around a birthday, ask guests to make a donation to your cause in lieu of gifts. 
  • On the invitation, mention that this event is a fundraiser. Explain why the cause is important to you and a suggested donation amount. 
  • If possible, have a spokesperson from the non-profit join the party and talk about their mission. 
  • To raise even more money for your charity, ask each guest or couple to bring a bottle of their favorite wine. Collect “raffle” money and give out tickets (homemade are fine). Choose one random winner to take all the bottles home. 

Yield: 10

Wine Tasting at Home

Prep Time 1 hour
Active Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Difficulty Medium

Find out how to host your own wine party for fun or as a fundraising idea.

Wine and a charcuterie board on an outdoor table in front of a fire.

Materials

  • 10 bottles of wine, varying types
  • Variety of fruits, veggies nuts, crackers, cheeses, and spreads.

Tools

  • Wine glasses (at least one red and one white per person, or choose different glasses for different wines)
  • Corkscrew
  • Wine glass markers/charms
  • note pads and pens
  • ice buckets and ice for chilled wines
  • Charcuterie board or platter

Instructions

  1. For a fundraiser, be sure to ask guests for a donation to attend, and mention what the cause is and why it's important to you. If the party is around a birthday, you could ask for donations in lieu of gifts.
  2. Ask guests to bring their favorite bottle of wine, or provide your favorites.
  3. Several hours before the party set out glasses, napkins, and any decorations. Be sure to chill any white, rose, or sparkling wines.
  4. An hour before the party, assemble a charcuterie board or finish up any appetizers.
  5. Turn on music.
  6. When tasting wine, start with sparkling, then move from dry to sweet whites, then from light to full-bodied reds.
  7. Discuss each wine's appearance, smell, and flavor notes with your guests.
  8. Have guests jot down their favorite wines and any notes for future reference.

Notes

These instructions are for a more casual wine tasting at home. For something even more special, consider hiring a sommelier to talk about the wines.