What to Buy for a Wine Tasting

A wine tasting needs more than a selection of bottles. You will also need enough glasses and water, simple food between pours, bottle labels, tasting cards and equipment for serving and clearing up. Plan quantities around the number of guests and the number of wines, rather than buying one item per person by default. This checklist helps you cover the items people most often forget, including sample buckets, drip catchers, ice coolers and spare corkscrews.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 48
Side tablesqty 3
Tableclothsqty 8

Tableware

Wine glassesqty 60
Water glassesqty 48
Pastry platesqty 60
Forksqty 60
Cheese knivesqty 8
Serving spoonsqty 8

Equipment

Corkscrewsqty 6
Wine carafesqty 8
Ice coolersqty 6
Coolersqty 4
Drip catchersqty 12
Sample bucketsqty 8

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 3
Serving plattersqty 10
Bread basketsqty 4
Food storage containersqty 8

Decorations

Table signsqty 10
Name badge holdersqty 48
LED candlesqty 16
Vine decorationqty 4

Lighting

String lightsqty 4
Extension cordsqty 4

Cleaning

Dishpanqty 2
Cleaning clothsqty 12
Broom
Mop

Catering

Groceries
- Prosecco - 4 bottles
- Sauvignon blanc - 3 bottles
- Chardonnay - 3 bottles
- Riesling - 3 bottles
- Provence rosé - 3 bottles
- Pinot noir - 3 bottles
- Merlot - 3 bottles
- Rioja tempranillo - 3 bottles
- Ruby port - 2 bottles
- Still mineral water - 12 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 12 bottles
- Alcohol-free grape juice - 4 bottles
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 1 box
- Milk - 4 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Sugar - 1 pack
- Brie - 1,5 kilogram
- Goat cheese - 1 kilogram
- Aged cheese - 1,5 kilogram
- Blue cheese - 750 gram
- Vegan cheese - 500 grams
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Water crackers - 6 packs
- Gluten-free crackers - 2 packs
- Red Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Green grapes - 2 kilograms
- Pears - 3 kilograms
- Apples - 3 kilograms
- Walnuts - 750 grams
- Almonds - 750 grams
- Green olives - 2 jars
- Black olives - 2 jars
- Olive tapenade - 3 jars
- Fig jam - 3 jars
- Honey - 2 jars
- Dark chocolate - 1,5 kilogram
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Ice cubes - 12 kilograms
- Napkins - 150 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls
- Garbage bags - 30 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 2 dispensers

Tips

Allow one wine glass per guest for a simple tasting, or one glass per wine per guest if you want guests to compare wines side by side. Add a few extra glasses for breakage and late arrivals.
Buy about 750 ml of water per guest for the evening, plus water glasses. Guests need water between wines, and water is often forgotten when the wine order is planned.
Plan 50–75 g of cheese per guest, along with bread or crackers and fruit. Include serving platters, cheese knives and serving spoons so guests are not using tasting cutlery for the food.
Have at least two corkscrews available and prepare one sample bucket for every tasting station. Add drip catchers and carafes if bottles need decanting or wines will be poured in advance.
Chill white and sparkling wines at least 3 hours before guests arrive. Check the delivery and stock the day before, then put table signs, name badge holders and tasting cards out before opening the bottles.

Frequently asked questions

How much wine do I need for a wine tasting?: For tasting pours, allow about 50–75 ml per wine per guest. A 750 ml bottle gives roughly 10–15 tasting pours, so six wines for 12 guests requires about 6–9 bottles, depending on pour size and whether guests may have seconds.
How many wine glasses do I need for a wine tasting?: For one glass per guest, buy or borrow the guest count plus 10% extra. For six wines served side by side, 12 guests need 72 glasses, or at least 80 when allowing for breakage and replacements.
What food should I buy for a wine tasting?: Plan 50–75 g of cheese per guest, plus bread or crackers and roughly one serving of fruit per person. Buy more substantial food if the tasting replaces dinner; cheese and snacks alone are usually not enough for a full evening.
When should I chill wine for a tasting?: Chill white and sparkling wines at least 3 hours before the tasting, or overnight if possible. Take red wines out of storage 1–2 hours beforehand so they can reach a suitable serving temperature.

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