What to Buy for a Wine Tasting Contest

A wine tasting contest needs more than bottles and wine glasses. Plan separate equipment for judges, participants and serving, then add enough water, spit buckets and neutral snacks to keep palates fresh. Quantities depend on your final participant count, but the tasting format makes some items easy to calculate. Use this list alongside the event plan so wine, cooling space, score sheets and prizes are ready before guests arrive.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 55
Judges' table
Buffet tableqty 2

Tableware

Wine glassesqty 240
Water glassesqty 60
Platesqty 80
Cutlery setsqty 60
Wine carafesqty 8
Spit bucketsqty 12
Ice and water bucketsqty 8

Equipment

Coolersqty 8
Refrigeratorsqty 2
Bluetooth speaker
Microphone
Calculatorsqty 2
Extension cordsqty 3
Laptop
Printer

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 4
Serving spoonsqty 8
Serving plattersqty 12
Bread basketsqty 4
Corkscrewsqty 6
Bottle stoppersqty 12
Measuring cupsqty 4

Decorations

Tableclothsqty 10
Table runnersqty 8
Menusqty 10
Wine bottle sleevesqty 8
Table numbersqty 8
Flower arrangementsqty 6
Prizes and medalsqty 3

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Cleaning bucketsqty 2
Mugsqty 2
Broom and dustpanqty 2
Washing-up bowlsqty 3

Catering

Groceries
- Sauvignon blanc - 6 bottles
- Chardonnay - 6 bottles
- Pinot grigio - 6 bottles
- Rosé - 6 bottles
- Pinot noir - 6 bottles
- Cabernet sauvignon - 6 bottles
- Extra white wine - 4 bottles
- Extra red wine - 4 bottles
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 48 bottles
- Spa Red - 24 bottles
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Tonic - 4 bottles
- Ginger ale - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Ice cubes - 15 kilos
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Toast - 8 packs
- Crackers - 8 packs
- Unsalted butter - 1 kilo
- Cream cheese - 1,5 kilo
- Brie - 1.5 kilos
- Gouda cheese - 2 kilos
- Goat cheese - 1 kilo
- Parma ham - 1.5 kilos
- Salami - 1.5 kilos
- Hummus - 1 kilo
- Olives - 1.5 kilo
- Grapes - 3 kilos
- Apples - 3 kilos
- Pears - 2 kilos
- Unsalted nuts - 1 kilo
- Walnuts - 500 gram
- Almonds - 500 grams
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Snacks - 4 bags
- Mayonnaise - 1 jar
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Honey - 2 jars
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Black pepper - 1 grinder
- Sea salt - 1 pack
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Sponges - 6 pieces
- Cleaning cloths - 12 pieces
- Hand soap - 4 bottles

Tips

Allow 1 tasting glass per wine per participant, or use a smaller shared set only if your rounds are carefully managed. Add spare glasses for breakage and keep water glasses separate.
Provide at least 1 spit bucket for every 4 to 6 tasters, plus ice and water buckets for bottles that must stay chilled. Do not leave cooling until the last hour; refrigerate white and sparkling wines at least 4 hours beforehand.
Plan 500 to 750 ml of still water per guest for a multi-round tasting, with extra water at the judges’ table. Put water glasses beside the tasting glasses rather than expecting guests to share one glass.
Buy neutral snacks such as bread and crackers at roughly 100 to 150 g per person. Prepare cutting boards, knives, serving platters and bread baskets before the wine is opened so food does not interrupt a round.
Prepare one score sheet and one pen or pencil per participant, then keep at least 10% extra. Number the wine bottle sleeves and table numbers before setup; otherwise bottle identities and tasting positions are easy to mix up.

Frequently asked questions

How many wine glasses do I need for a wine tasting contest?: For a seated tasting, buy one glass per wine per participant, plus about 10% extra for breakage. If you serve 20 participants and taste 6 wines, that means 120 tasting glasses, or 132 with spares.
How much water should I buy for a wine tasting?: Allow 500 to 750 ml of still water per participant for several tasting rounds, and keep extra water for the judges. For 20 people, plan at least 10 to 15 litres.
How many spit buckets are needed for a wine tasting competition?: Use one spit bucket for every 4 to 6 tasters, with additional buckets at the judges’ table. A group of 20 therefore needs 4 to 5 spit buckets, depending on their size and placement.
How much food do I need for a wine tasting contest?: For palate-cleansing snacks rather than a full meal, provide about 100 to 150 g of bread, crackers or similar neutral food per person. Buy it 1 day ahead, then prepare platters shortly before guests arrive.

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