Here are three steps to help you make money in this home-based business:
1) Getting Started
Before
you get started, check out the possibilities for wine tastings in your
area. Wine tastings are usually held on weekends in private homes and
clubs and at special events everywhere. They are seldom held in a
restaurant. The host organizes the tasting and pays you for your
service.
The current rates are $150 an hour for parties up to 20
people. Over that number, rates are negotiable. For large parties you
may need to hire helpers. Include the amount you pay them in your hourly
rate.
Advertise your business in the local paper. Pay a visit to
clubs such as the Kiwanis Club and country clubs in your area. Be sure
to speak to the manager and leave your brochure. Teach an adult
education class about wine. Air a radio ad at night on the local
stations.
2) On the Job
Prepare for the tasting by meeting
with the host. He or she supplies the wine, food and glasses. The host
also arranges for the white tablecloths, small paper spitting cups for
the guests and several urns to empty the cups into.
For 20 guests,
there should be about 30 bottles of wine. This includes six different
types of wine with five bottles of each type. For a party of up to
20 guests, you can work from a long table and have the guests seated
opposite you. For larger groups, the host should set up tables.
During
the tasting, guests sample a particular wine from their glass. Fill the
glass a quarter to a third full. Guests tip the glass away from them
and examine the wine's color against the white tablecloth. They sniff
the wine's aroma, take a sip and swirl it around in their mouth before
spitting it into their paper cup. They then empty the cup into an urn.
Talk
about the wine and where it comes from. Bring various corkscrews with
you to show guests. Demonstrate how to decant wine with a decanter and
candle.
3) After the Wine Tasting
Following the wine tasting, allow for questions. Here are some common questions followed by answers:
Q: What makes red wine red?
A: Red wine includes the skins, seeds and stems of the grape which turn the wine red.
Q: Why do you decant wine?
A: To check that the wine is clear and without settled particles.
Q: How can you tell a good corkscrew?
A:
The most important part of the corkscrew is the "worm" or spiral. The
worm should be hollow and have 4-5 spirals. The deeper the worm enters
the cork the less likely it will break.
Q: Which is the most expensive corkscrew?
A: One made by Forge de Laguiole of France is the best. It lasts the longest but costs $150 to $190.
Q: Why are they using screwcaps today instead of corks?
A: Screwcaps shut oxygen out of the wine which is what you want because oxygen causes wine to spoil.
Q: Why is aged wine better?
Aging wine dulls the fruity flavor and leaves a more earthy tasting wine. At least 95% of wine does not need to be aged.
Q: Which wines go with which food?
A:
Port is a heavy wine and goes well with dessert or alone. Merlot is a
light wine and is delicious with a meal of chicken and salad. Cabernet
is a little heavier than Merlot and goes well with steak, lamb, and
pork. Pinot noir is a very light wine and is excellent with turkey,
chicken, and duck. Beaujolais is a fruity, light wine and is good with
fowl or dessert or alone.
Once word gets out about your wine
tasting business, you may find yourself booked for many weekends. Start a
wine tasting business now - before everyone else finds out how much fun
it is and the amount of money you can make. http://ezinearticles.com/?Start-a-Wine-Tasting-Business-For-Thrills,-Spills,-and-Lots-of-Money&id=666492
