Few things are more enjoyable than sipping a glass of wine with your closest friends. Hosting a wine tasting is a unique way that you can do just that, and it enables you and your fellow wine lovers to sample some wines that you may have never tried before. Here are a three tips for pulling off a successful at-home wine tasting.

1. Choose a theme. Choose a theme for each tasting in order to cover all of the different types of wines, such as a Chardonnay night or an afternoon of Pinot Noirs. Tell each of your guests to bring a bottle from a different part of the world, a different year, or a different brand.
2. Prepare the glasses properly. You don’t need to invest in expensive wine glasses, but be sure to provide one glass for each person. Fill the glass an inch below its equator. After tasting one type of wine, rinse the glass with the type of wine you’ll be tasting next in order to rid the glass of traces of the previous wine.
3. Serve snacks. Provide small snacks like cheese, crackers, or delicate cookies to help guests cleanse their palates in between wines and provide some sustenance throughout the evening.

How To Have The Perfect Wine Tasting At Home [HuffPost Taste]
How to Host a Wine Tasting Party [Real Simple]
How to Host a Wine Tasting [Food & Wine]

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Since 1926, the Austin Public Library has provided Austin residents with access to classic works of literature and more modern literary offerings. The current building, which was constructed in 1979, was renamed the Faulk Central Library, but it still aims to provide locals with the same reading resources entirely free of charge. The building is a large, square structure with three floors and a parking garage, and it serves as the reference and collection epicenter of the entire Austin Public Library System.

In addition to its many books, this library also offers a very impressive selection of DVDs and CDs. Educational programs for adult and children are frequently offered at the Faulk Central Library, including computer classes, Spanish lessons, and an all-ages story time.

The Faulk Central Library is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Faulk Central Library
800 Guadalupe Street
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 974-7400
www.library.austintexas.gov/locations/Faulk%20Central%20Library
www.yelp.com/biz/faulk-central-library-austin-public-library-austin

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A branch of the popular restaurant on Austin’s Sixth Street, Iron Cactus brings authentic Mexican cuisine to the Hill Country Galleria. There are few sit-down dining options at the mall, so it’s a welcome stop for hungry diners who want to fill up on traditional Tex-Mex favorites and let off steam at the tequila bar. There are over three-dozen varieties on the menu and they make for big, strong, memorable margaritas.

Cocktails get the most praise, but regulars call the food decent and the Sunday brunch (10 a.m. to 3 p.m., $14.99 for adults, $8.99 kids 5-12) a tasty, affordable treat in an area with few options.

Visit the Iron Cactus website for hours, menus, specials, and more information!

Iron Cactus
13420 Galleria Circle
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 263-7636
www.ironcactus.com
www.yelp.com/biz/iron-cactus-bee-cave

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