We recently hosted a hen party wine tasting for Samantha in Reigate, Surrey, where the bride’s parents had offered up their house for the weekend so the group of twelve could celebrate properly without worrying about space. Jo, the maid of honour, had organised the evening and was clear from the start that she wanted it to feel special, but not intimidating, as Samantha had no interest in anything too serious and didn’t want the night turning into a lecture about wine.
The brief was to bring along mostly whites and rosé, one red available for anyone who preferred it, and something sparkling to open the evening, so it felt like a celebration from the first glass. Our usual format was adjusted to suit the group, with the wines chosen to keep things lively and easy to talk about rather than overly complex. The aim was to offer variety and quality while keeping the tone relaxed for everyone around the table.
We arrived early to set up the glassware and tasting mats so everything would be ready before the group gathered. Once the sparkling had been poured and everyone had settled in, Jonny explained how the evening would work and made it clear that there were no right or wrong answers. The tasting included a few light games to keep the energy up, which suited the group perfectly as they were already in full hen party mode and ready to compete with each other over who had the best palate.
During a blind tasting game, Samantha picked one wine straight away and said it “tasted like something I had at a really posh restaurant recently”, which got a few raised eyebrows around the table. She was certain it had to be one of the more expensive bottles we were pouring. When Jonny told them it was actually under £15, there was a second where nobody quite believed him. It was one of those moments that summed up the night, because it showed that people often trust their instincts about what they like, even if the price does not match what they expect.
By the end, the group had tried the full selection and had very clear opinions about what they liked. The next day, Jo messaged to ask about gift vouchers because several of the guests were already talking about booking their own Wine Night In, which is usually the best sign that the night made an impression.
For a hen party, holding the tasting at home meant the group could settle in properly and not worry about moving on to another venue halfway through the evening. It gave them something fun to build the night around without taking over the celebration. Find out more about hosting your own wine tasting in Reigate.
