two bottles of wine at wine tasting party

Top 10 Wine Tasting Party Themes

A wine tasting party is more fun when you choose a creative theme, like food! Here are our top 10 most requested wine tasting party themes, according to our Wine Guides!

1. Girl Scout Cookies & Wine

Did you know that Thin Mints pair perfectly with Cabernet? You may be surprised by the different flavors you’ll discover when you pair cookies and wine! Girl Scout Cookie season starts around December and can last through March, depending on where you live. You’re buying boxes anyway, so why not pair your cookies with wine for a grown-up excuse to sample all the varieties? Set up and clean up are also a snap with this theme. In fact, there should be an adult badge for this!

girl scout cookies wine pairing chart
Pair your favorite box of Girl Scout cookies with wine using our simple wine pairing chart.

2. Sips & Dips

There are many varieties of simply-made and store-bought dips available—from sweet to savory to spicy. That’s why a Sips & Dips theme is a natural choice for a wine tasting party. You’ll save money on the menu, and there will be something for everyone to explore. Our favorites? Check out our Sips & Dips wine pairing cheat sheet!

sips and dips wine pairing chart
Pair your wine with simple store-bought or homemade dips for a fun and satisfying wine tasting party.

3. Cheese & Chocolate

Wine + cheese + chocolate = a recipe for sipping success! The only hard part about hosting a Cheese & Chocolate wine tasting is narrowing down the options for your cheeses and chocolates. We recommend offering a range of both rich and light choices, as well as a few with a surprising kick, like a mango cheese or a spicy chocolate. Here’s a cheat sheet to pairing cheese!

wine and cheese pairing chart
Wine and cheese with everything! This simple wine and cheese pairing chart will help you be the hostess with the mostest!

4. Potato Chips

Hosting a potato chips and wine tasting might seem like small potatoes, but we’ve found that this theme is a big hit among our wine lovers! Not only is it easy to find a variety of potato chip flavors at the supermarket, but it’s budget-friendly. Plus, who can resist a potato chip? From fiery jalapeño to sweet barbecue, there is a chip for every palate—and a wine to go with it!

potato chip and wine pairing chart
Grab a bag of Lays and a bottle, because it’s time for potato chips and wine. But seriously, this chart will help you pair every variety of chip with the right wine.

5. Mexican Fiesta

Say olé to your favorite Mexican dishes paired with wine. Whether you choose a taco bar or a full feast, you can’t go wrong with this theme. The spicier options built in to Mexican cuisine are perfect for an all-white wine tasting. Semisweet and sweet wines pair very well with spicy flavors—sweet loves heat! Here’s a wine pairing chart for taco night to get you ready to sip and salsa.

tacos and wine pairing chart
Let’s taco ’bout pairing wine with Mexican food. We say olé!

6. Christmas/Holiday

Holiday season is the perfect time of year to gather friends and family—and sip wine together. Choose a Christmas cookie swap theme, White Elephant/Yankee Swap gift party, or a more elegant appetizers and wine night. A cookie swap is always a treat because your friends walk away with some new ways to enjoy cookies, plus a tray of delicious cookies to bring home. An “ugly sweater” party is one of our most-requested themes during the season! The photos are priceless and so is the fun. Don’t forget a door prize for the ugliest sweater! We recommend a bottle of wine.

christmas cookies and wine pairing chart
Cookies and wine all the time. A cookie swap themed wine tasting is a fun way to celebrate the season.

7. Brunch

Hosting a brunch wine tasting is as easy as Sunday morning because there are small bites-a-plenty to share alongside your favorite sips! Think fruit kababs with sweet wine and mini chicken-and-waffles paired with a light Pinot Noir. A sparkling white wine is always perfect for mimosas! You can start there and work your way into bolder red wines that pair with savory meats like breakfast sausage and bacon. Here’s our cheat sheet to pairing wine with a spring brunch for celebrations like Mother’s Day, college graduations, and bridal showers!

brunch and wine pairing chart
Brunch is the best excuse to sip-away your Sunday blues. Here’s a pairing chart great for your spring celebrations (and beyond!).

8. Pizza

Kinda feels like we can stop right there: Pizza and wine. But seriously, the variety of toppings you can put on pizza makes this wine tasting party theme versatile and fun. A pizza-themed wine tasting is perfect for a flight of Italian red wines because “what grows together, goes together.” Every cheesy, saucy bite can either be balanced or elevated with the right wine. That’s pizza night done right.

pizza and wine pairing chart
Pizza and wine night is a huge hit. Tasty toppings and Italian wines for the win!

9. PJs & Popcorn

Get cozy because a PJs & Popcorn theme is all about going casual. Similar to a potato chips wine tasting, popcorn can be seasoned in a variety of ways. You can choose sweet kettle corn or savory white cheddar—even spicy chili lime-flavored popcorn. Our top choice? Buttered popcorn and Chardonnay. Ask your friends to come in their favorite jammies and bunny slippers for the ultimate Instagram-worthy party!

popcorn and wine pairing chart
Grab your bunny slippers. It’s popcorn and wine time!

10. Halloween

Be that witch. You know, the one who throws the awesome parties. Encourage your friends to come in costumes and enjoy a wine flight that’s frightfully fun. You can opt for Halloween-themed foods like Mummy Brie and Spinach Dip in a Bread Bowl Cauldron or set up a candy bar. We taste-tested the most popular Halloween candy against our wines and came up with the perfect pairing chart for your party!

halloween candy and wine pairing chart
Trick or treat? Always treat! Sneak the candy away from the kiddos for a Halloween candy and wine night with grown-ups!

Now that you know our big ten wine tasting party themes, which one will you choose? Share your event pics on Instagram and tag us @travelingvineyard.

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