As we accelerate onwards into the age of uncertainty, the virtual events world continues to evolve.  With this evolution comes the need to engage staff (as well as families) who are still working from home in a virtual environment detached from normal office life.  

One of the most popular experiences currently is virtual wine tasting. Mainly because it’s a great way to help teams unwind, gain some wine knowledge but also socialize in a relaxed online environment with colleagues or clients.

I’ve always had a passion, as well as a fascination, with wine - from the different grape varieties to how its produced and understanding how elements such as soil, weather and moisture can affect the flavour of a wine. 

We’ve delivered over 50 virtual wine tasting events over the last couple of months. What I love about these sessions is the flexibility, uniqueness and even the potential to tailor these to conference messaging. One of the most popular experiences is the Cheese and Wine Masterclass, where a pack of 6 wines (2 whites, 2 reds and 2 Rose, 100ml of each), and 6 very interesting artisan British cheeses are delivered direct to the door. Hosted by an extremely enigmatic and passionate sommelier the group are taken on a wine journey with a competitive edge. Each set of wines is tasted with 2 cheeses and then you have to decipher which each of the wine and cheeses was based on tasting notes provided. Tips are also given on how to taste wines and what to look for, as well as interesting facts and some quick quiz questions. 

Another popular, but quite different, wine experience involves a fascinating deep dive into Spanish wines. 3 wines are delivered to the house, one Cava, one white and one red, with instructions on which ones to chill, when to open them to get the best taste and what food to accompany them with - Serrano ham and Manchego cheese. After a brief introduction from the wine expert, you’re whisked over to Spain using a shared Google Maps screen, so everyone can see the locations of where the wines were produced. During the tasting of the Cava, you’re taken (virtually) to a vineyard in Spain to speak directly with one of the country’s biggest Cava producers to understand more about it production. Interesting fact - Cava is made in the same why as Champagne (through a fermentation process), whereas Prosecco has the fizz put into through a separate process. Along the way there are 2 more stops where you’ll learn about how they were made, where they came from and the story behind them. Salt and lemon are also used to illustrate the effect on taste and give an understanding as to how wine is paired with specific foods.

What’s great about wine tasting events is you don’t need to be a huge wine buff or even know you Shiraz from your Beaujolais. But if your love shared experiences and like learning new things then these events are definitely for you. The one key rule of wine tasting is understanding what you like and YOUR tastes - as just because someone else loves a wine or because it’s really expensive doesn’t mean that you have to like it. Once you understand everyone tastes wine differently and you stay true to yourself you’ll always drink wine you love.

If you want to know more about these events, please drop us a line…