We are going to be hosting about 17-20 people for a wine tasting event next month. When we have done these in the past, we’ve typically had around 8-10 people, so this will be by far our largest gathering. We’ve never had an issue in the past with running out of wine for the pours, and have been able to do 2oz - 2.5oz pours for each tasting which has been more than sufficient. Given the larger crowd this time, I’m wondering if we should be buying 2 of each bottle. Given the relatively low budget ($40pp) I’d much rather buy additional wines than doubling up everything, but I don’t know if 1oz is enough to really get a real taste of a wine. Anyone have experience with this?
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For that budget and party size, I’d hit up the magnum auction scene on WineBid. Particularly if west coast wines are acceptable. There are some good options at reasonable prices there. I find that the mark up on magnums, particularly for California wines, is much less than 750s and you can find some relative bargains.
Example being, you can grab a DiCostanzo single vineyard cab and a Cayuse special for 200 or less shipped. Do this 4 times and you have around 325ml per guest at 40/person.
Could also sprinkle in a vintage port or Sauternes which would probably be acceptable at a 1oz+ pour.
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For wine dinners, I think 12 people is the maximum realistic number per 750ml bottle. That’s a 2 oz pour each, plus a little extra for sediment and/or re-visit.
For a stand-around tasting you could maybe get away with 1.5 oz pours, but I think that’s the extreme limit - hard to really get a good sense of a wine with such a small amount in the glass. Plus with some wines you may have sediment, meaning that the last couple pours will be garbage.
I’d go with 2x bottles or mags.
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What James said. I’d get 2 bottles or magnums. I find it more interesting to see how a wine evolves in the glass and come back to it.
Ditto
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Can 20 taste and assess from a single bottle? Yes.
Our country club put on a blind tasting event a couple of years ago for a group of 20. My wife and I were the only two in the group who I would consider experienced tasters from the view of pouring carefully to stretch bottles. I have to say that with a gentle reminder at the start of the event about pouring carefully, each bottle made it around the table and was definitely enough to assess the wines.
Our regular Saturday group met last weekend and 17 of us made it around the table with a single bottle with plenty to spare.
That said, is it ideal? No. But then again, with that many wines you may not want people getting more than an ounce of wine anyway as it could be a bit too much for some tasters, especially if some of them are less experienced.
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@Jdbramm just hosted a tasting last night for (I believe) 18 people with 25 or so bottles. Stand-around tasting, so not structured. I had no problem trying most bottles, some twice, but I also tend to take short pours of about 1-1.5 ounces. I think that gives me an understanding of the wine and I can try to revisit if I like it.
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Thanks everyone! Will maybe try to get two bottles for some and stretch some others so there is more variety.
I have hosted over 65 dinners and find 12 is the ultimate max to actually get an idea of a wine. I have been to tasting where such a small amount was poured, I just dumped and mover on. Lets call is 2 ounces.
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8 is easy - 10 so so - 12 is max. Only problem is bottle variation - I have heard people pour them together - that way everyone gets the same wine. Magnums obviously solve the problem. For 20 people you definitely need two bottles.
I have no useful relevant experience to contribute, though I would add that magnums have an aesthetic, as well as volumetric, advantage; nothing says a party like multiple magnums lined up.
I budget 14 people per bottle. 15 is doable. 10 is too few if you have more than about 8 wines. Now if everyone wants to be hammered, sure, but this is the math I’ve used for about 30-40 tastings over 15 years and it’s served me well.
For drinking wirh dinner 12 glasses is ok, only 10 is better. For a tasting 15-16 glasses is possible, 17 is tight, 18 is very uncomfortable -