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5 Simple Tricks For A Successful Last Minute Wine Party

Wine lovers everywhere rejoice! Get ready for a wine party! National Wine Day is on May 25th, which happens to be a Thursday in 2017. This year, you have back-to-back days to celebrate wine. #ThirstyThursday indeed.

Sure, some of us have had this day marked on our calendars for months. Eagerly counting down the days until we get to tell our boss that we have an honest to goodness wine holiday to celebrate (thanks, Bacchus). But we’re sure just as many people are only hearing about this now. Well, surprise!

Don’t worry about not being prepared, our wine experts have some proven tricks for making sure you can have the perfect wine evening. Yes, even if you are going to buy your bottles on the way home.

Wine Party! How do I start?

First things first, invite friends and family. Who doesn’t love a midweek get together? As an added bonus, ask everyone to bring a bottle of their favorite wine. Now, you get to mix and match!

Now that you know the guest list, it’s time to shop! Get some wine. Any wine. It’s a holiday, you should treat yourself to the good stuff. Maybe the good stuff and something new?

Now what?

1. Make sure your wine is cold

Unless you are at a fancy store with a rapid wine chiller, you are likely going to be grabbing a warm bottle of wine. Don’t fret, just run over to the frozen fruit section. Wine and fruit go together better than peanut butter & jelly. If you’re not sure what to get, here’s a handy list of tasty suggestions:

  • Prosecco pairs perfectly with strawberries.
  • A glass of Chardonnay is even sweeter with peaches.
  • Riesling is just a little more fun with blackberries.
  • And frozen grapes go with just about everything. Though usually you’ll need to freeze those yourself.

2. My wine opener broke!

Don’t panic, and please don’t try to break the bottle open. There are a ton of easy to follow YouTube videos on how to open wine, so you can do a quick Google search. One of the simplest methods is to push the cork into the bottle with a wooden spoon, and TA DA wine. Or, if you don’t like the idea of pushing the cork in, you can get it out with a pair of kitchen scissors. Very carefully open your scissors and push one blade in. Use the handle as leverage to twist the cork out, and success!

3. I found a bottle of wine under the sink and I have no idea if it’s safe to drink.

First off, yes wine can go bad. Don’t think that just because it’s supposed to ferment a little means it’s safe from spoilage. We recommend you sniff it to check. If it smells moldy, musty, like wet cardboard or dog, throw it out.

If it smells like stewed fruit or heavily like a box of raisins, chances are it’s turned as well. Wine that smells like sherry, but isn’t sherry is also not good. A strong scent of vinegar or sulfur smell (rotten eggs) are the two most obvious red flags.  If you aren’t quite sure, it’s best to play it safe and get a new bottle.

4. My friends brought too much wine and now I have bits of leftovers

You can always freeze your leftover wine. The cubes are great for adding to recipes or chilling any new wine you get. Just make sure you label what kind of wine it was that you froze.

5. I have a bunch of leftover wine bottles I don’t want to just toss.

If you’re crafty you could repurpose the wine bottles and corks. Pinterest is full of ideas for just this problem. The easiest way to repurpose them is to use them as vases or candle holders. More complex crafts often involve cutting glass so proceed with caution, and probably a friend to help. Plus, if you’re having a wine party, then why not have a wine bottle party, too? People can bring ideas and supplies to turn your bottles into memories.

If nothing else, you can always recycle the bottles. A lot of states pay for glass. At the very least, you can feel good knowing that your bottle is being re-purposed, hopefully into another wine bottle!

However you chose to drink your wine, make sure you drink it safely and have fun! If you have more tips for making a last-minute wine party a hit, be sure to share them with us.

You’re ready to throw a wine party – What now?

  • Order a wine gift for your friends who couldn’t make it. It’s a great way to stay in touch with far off loved ones you rarely get to see.
  • If you’re looking for drinks with more of a kick, try these fun cocktails we shared for Saint Patrick’s Day.
  • Make sure you share this blog to help your friends learn how to handle wine emergencies. At the very least they’ll know National Wine Day is real.