What you need for a wine course

A wine course needs more than bottles and glasses. Plan the tasting setup, serving equipment, water, spitting facilities, snacks and printed materials before participants arrive. This shopping list helps you match quantities to the group size and avoid last-minute trips for missing corkscrews, ice or tableware. Buy or gather the consumables first, then check that the equipment works and that chilled wine has enough time to cool.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 32
Tableclothqty 8

Tableware

Wine glassesqty 150
Water glassesqty 40
Small platesqty 40
Dessert platesqty 40
Cutlery setsqty 40
Napkin holderqty 8

Kitchen

Corkscrewsqty 4
Wine openersqty 4
Pitcherqty 6
Wine coolersqty 6
Ice cube traysqty 6
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Serving spoonsqty 8
Cheese knifeqty 6
Carafesqty 8
Measuring cupsqty 4

Equipment

Laptop
Projector
Projection screen
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3
Refrigeratorsqty 2
Portable speaker

Catering

Spit bucketsqty 16
Ice tongsqty 4
Name badgesqty 35
Writing pensqty 35
Tasting notebooksqty 35
Certificate foldersqty 35
Presentation board

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Bucketsqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Broomqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Cleaning glovesqty 6

Groceries

Groceries
- Sauvignon blanc - 3 bottles
- Chardonnay - 3 bottles
- Riesling - 3 bottles
- Pinot noir - 3 bottles
- Merlot - 3 bottles
- Cabernet sauvignon - 3 bottles
- Alcohol-free wine - 4 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 30 liters
- Spa Rood - 12 liters
- Cola - 4 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Sinas - 3 bottles
- Apple juice - 3 packs
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 4 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Baguettes - 10 pieces
- Sourdough bread - 5 loaves
- Unsalted butter - 1 kilogram
- Brie - 1,5 kilogram
- Gouda cheese - 1.5 kilogram
- Goat cheese - 1 kilogram
- Blue cheese - 750 gram
- Parma ham - 750 grams
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Figs - 1.5 kilogram
- Pears - 2 kilograms
- Apples - 2 kilograms
- Walnuts - 750 grams
- Almonds - 750 grams
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Olives - 2 kilograms
- Sun-dried tomatoes - 1 kilogram
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Herb butter - 750 grams
- Olive oil - 1 bottle
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Coffee filters - 1 pack
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 box
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls

Tips

Plan one tasting glass per wine for each participant, plus a few extras for breakage. Add one water glass per person and keep at least one spit bucket at every tasting station.
Allow two to three small snack portions per person for the first hour, with extra cheese, bread or other planned snacks for a longer course. Check dietary requirements before buying anything.
Chill white and sparkling wine for at least 4 hours before serving. Keep ice ready in trays or coolers so opened bottles stay cold throughout the tasting.
Bring at least two working corkscrews or wine openers for a group, plus one spare. Test them before the course rather than discovering a broken opener when the first bottle is ready.
Prepare one name badge and one worksheet per participant, with 10% extra copies. Pack extension cords, power strips and presentation equipment together and test the setup before guests arrive.

Frequently asked questions

How many wine glasses do I need per person for a wine course?: Use one tasting glass per wine for each participant if you want to compare wines side by side. For six wines and 12 participants, that means 72 glasses, plus at least 6 extra glasses for breakage or replacements.
How much wine should I buy for a wine tasting?: For tasting pours, allow about 50 ml per wine per person. A 750 ml bottle gives roughly 15 pours, so 12 participants tasting six wines need about 6 bottles, with one extra bottle if you want a margin.
How much water and ice do I need for a wine course?: Plan at least 500 ml of drinking water per participant for a two-hour course, plus extra for rinsing if that is part of the format. Chill white wine for 4 hours and prepare enough ice to keep opened bottles cold.
What snacks should I buy for a wine course?: Allow two to three small snack portions per person for the first hour, including cheese or other foods that suit the wines. Buy 10% extra and confirm dietary requirements at least 3 days before shopping.

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