The holiday season would not be complete without some festive fun, so why not make things even more exciting by playing some wine games this year? Believe it or not, there are many games you can play with wine that will not only bring people together, but will also teach you about wine. There are games that challenge senses and test palates, as well as your knowledge of grape varieties and history. What’s more, wine games are easy to organise. Read on to find out which wine games you could try playing at your dinner party this Christmas.
1. Which Wine is Which?
This game is probably the easiest to set up and is suitable for all levels of wine drinkers, making it the ideal dinner party game. The aim of the game is to guess which description belongs to which bottle of wine. For the setup, you will need to cover all labels and provide descriptions of each one. A good description would include the grape variety, tones and texture of the wine.
Your guests will have to use their tasting skills to identify the tones and notes of each bottle. For example, if one bottle was Meursault, the description may explain that it is a dry white wine with ripe, yet fresh plum notes and a nutty edge. For an added challenge, provide more descriptions than wines. This will ensure that the game is not too easy for any wine connoisseurs in the group.
2. The Blindfold Sense Test
The beauty of this game is that it will force your guests to connect their senses to see if their nose and palate have what it takes to guess each wine correctly. Before the wine tasting begins, it is advised not to serve any alcohol or soft drinks, so that your guests can start with a clean palate to have a better chance of identifying the wine’s tones. The idea of the game is for guests to identify the country and grape variety from only the aroma and the taste of the wine.
The game works especially well if you are using a range of grape varieties. Comparing a light Pinot Noir with a heavy bodied Malbec would be a good example of how to test red wines. If somebody is struggling, be sure to have a set of clues ready for each wine. However, if your guests are wine connoisseurs, why not make it even more challenging by adding in wines of different price ranges and have them rank the wines from least to most expensive...the results can be very surprising!
3. The Cheese Pairing Challenge
The cheese pairing challenge is a game for the foodies as well as the wine lovers. This game is not only extremely entertaining, but also informative and interesting. The idea is to select around four to five wines that go very well with a particular cheese, which your guests will then have to match together. There is no need to cover the labels or hide the cheese, given that all senses should be used in order for your guests to correctly pair the two together.
A good example would be Sauternes and Roquefort, given that the sweetness and intense peachy notes of this wine cuts through and compliments the fattiness of the Roquefort. Another example would be to pair parmesan with champagne, given that the hard, gritty texture of parmesan cuts through the bold champagne, making them the perfect partners. This game will lead to lively discussions amongst your guests and will provide fun for all.
For a diverse, international selection of exquisite wines hand-picked by our team of wine experts, take a look at our many weekly Wine auctions. And did you know that with just one account you can not only buy, but also sell at our auctions? Whether you're a professional retailer or someone who's looking to just sell one or two bottles, our experts want to see what you have to offer. Becoming a seller is free and easy, so why not give it a try?