Toast Mom With a Mother’s Day Wine Tasting

Hosting a wine tasting for your mom and friends this Mother's Day is a fun way to spend time with mom and show her just how much you love her and how special she is.

The planning and preparation of a mother/daughter activity can be as much fun as the event itself! A rustic, natural, Napa Valley-inspired wine tasting can make for the perfect setting to incorporate so many of the most popular trends: burlap, chalkboard, mason jars, and monograms.

The invitation

The best way to kick off a classy party like your wine tasting with mom is with a classy invitation. We chose this hand-painted invitation and re-purposed the artwork into the décor. If you don't want to buy your invitations, you can make them by hand or just send an online invitation.

Décor and activities

I wanted to create a statement piece that would set the stage as soon as the moms arrived. After all, this day is all about Mom! Monograms and initials are everywhere — on wine glasses, bags, front doors, jewelry, iPhone cases, bedding, etc. I thought having the moss-covered letters spelling out "mom" and growing from a moss planter that's brimming with vibrant garden blooms would be a spectacular backdrop for a buffet table. If you want to go a little smaller, consider spelling out M-O-M in planters or regular floral arrangements.

I didn't have a planter as big as I wanted this piece to be, so I made one from the box in which the flowers were shipped. I used Instant Green by SuperMoss to cover the outside of the box. This stuff is inexpensive and easy to work with. I used the premade letters, but you can use the same moss to cover letters that are available at most craft stores.

Add sticks to the letters and position them in the foam first, and then create your floral arrangement. Before creating the arrangement, line the box with a large, heavy duty plastic bag or individual plastic trays/containers. Thoroughly soak bricks of floral foam and place them in the plastic-lined box or trays.

Floral décor

Think about the overall theme and the look and feel of your event when creating or buying your flower arrangements. Use various sizes, shapes, and materials for the containers to add delightful and unexpected elements throughout the room. I love incorporating seasonal fruits and vegetables, along with the flowers, in my designs. All the different textures and colors work so well together.

This upcycled glass mason jar wrapped with burlap and lace ribbon is the perfect container for a sweet gathering of fragrant spring hyacinth. Adding a vintage-style enamel brooch makes it even more perfect for Mom!

Personal touches

The key to making this a memorable day for Mom is weaving personal touches throughout. Coming up with the ideas and getting together with your friends during the planning and preparation process is all part of the fun! Since a photo says a thousand words, consider displaying pictures of you and mom through the years, or pictures of her with her mom.

'Private label' wine

Creating a wine label inspired by your mom is a fantastic idea. You can do it on the computer, or you could go old school and cut and paste using actual paper, scissors, glue, etc. Make the new label the same size as the label that is already on the wine bottle and just glue the new label over the old one. Be creative and have fun with it!

Here are two examples to get you started. My mom — the original silver fox — inspired the Silver Fox Chardonnay. I came up with A Beautiful Mess thinking about one that my daughters might create for me!

Wine totes

Keep the surprise hidden until it is time for each daughter to present her bottle to her mother inside a wine tote that is also personalized and decorated specifically for her. Again, be creative and have fun with it. There is no wrong or right way to make these; you can use whatever materials you want. I save the front of pretty greeting cards I receive to repurpose and pay forward.

My friend, artist Sandra Magsamen, made the pretty card on Margaux's bottle above with pieces from her life. When you put your heart into the gift, it doesn't matter what the actual monetary value is — to the recipient, it will be priceless!

Staying on this track, the wine bottles themselves and/or the wine totes can be repurposed as vases for a single stem or petite bouquet.

Here's a little florist tip: Use a bridal bouquet holder to create a large bouquet in a container with a small opening, such as a wine bottle. Put some sand or small rocks in the bottle first to give it some weight and prevent tipping. Then, soak the bouquet holder in water and place it into the top of bottle. Cut your flower stems short and insert them into the foam to create the arrangement.

Paint your own Mother's Day wine glasses

Painting and drinking wine has become such a popular activity, and I can certainly see why! Getting together with friends, and crafting and drinking wine sure sounds like a perfect way to spend an evening to me. That's why DIY wine glass painting can make for a perfect activity to go along with your Mother's Day wine tasting, especially if mom loves crafting!

Set up a station with inexpensive clear wine glasses (you can often get these from a nearby dollar store), paints, and brushes. If none of the daughters feel qualified to lead this activity, then you could hire someone. Or, even better, ask around or use social media to find someone who can act as the instructor.

And, of course, the finished product could be used as a vase, as well as a drinking glass, of course. You know my motto: If it can hold water, it can hold flowers!

Painted wine glasses are such a fun gift for any occasion. For even more fabulous gifts for wine enthusiasts, check out our picks for best wine gifts for mom.

How to choose the wine

Wine tasting can seem like a daunting task. If you're intimidated by the prospect, here are some tips on how to make it a little less scary. You can also hire a sommelier to help out, if you wish to go that route.

Pick her favorites and potential new loves

Being her child, you probably already know what type of wines mom enjoys. In addition to picking her favorites, you may want to get a little adventurous, too, and pick wines that she may not even know she likes. For example, even if mom typically likes reds, buy a couple of whites or sparkling wines for her to try.

Choose a theme

• Blind wine tasting: All you need is a blindfold to add mystery and fun to your event.
• Pick a region: We picked the Pacific Northwest, such as Southern Oregon, for the wines, but Tuscany, Napa, or Sancerre, France (origin of the sauvignon blanc grape) are great regions, too. You can go by country, region, whatever fits with your wine tasting plans.
• Pick a varietal: Such as syrahs, pinots, cabernets, etc., from multiple vineyards.

Teach your guests how to taste wine

First, look at your wine to see if it is full bodied (often darker in color) or light bodied (often lighter in color). Is the wine clear or cloudy?

If you are still stumped on which wines to choose, simply ask the folks at the wine store. They may also give you some additional tips on how to taste like a pro.

Wine adjectives

There are many ways to describe different kinds of wines. Whether you love dry or sweet, every wine has its own personality, just like moms.

Here are some great adjectives to help you find words to describe the wines for your Mother's Day wine tasting.