Wine tastings have always been a fantastic way to have fun with friends at home and discover new wines. However, during the lockdown period, traditional wine tastings became impossible to do. But, a new way of spicing up a dinner party emerged – the virtual wine tasting dinner party. Try with your family & friends around the globe.
Organizing a virtual wine tasting is a great way to connect with friends and family, whether they are in the same city or on the other side of the world. And it’s not just about the wine – it’s also about the experience of learning about the wine, its history, and its unique characteristics. Here are 6 easy steps to help you organize a virtual wine tasting:
Choose the Wine Tasting Party Location:
There are different ways to carry out a wine tasting. You can all get together in one place, such as your house, and connect with the winery via just one computer. The only thing to take into account here is how many people will be taking part to ensure that you order the right amount of bottles. We recommend an average of 6 people maximum per wine tasting kit. If there are more guests then just order an extra set of bottles with the tasting kit. Alternatively, you may want to hook up with friends on the other side of the country or the world for a chat and laughs. Instead of a normal zoom chat, you can have a virtual tasting on Zoom. Just order two kits and one will be sent to your house and another to your friend’s house. In fact, you can connect with as many friends as you like. Just order as many kits as you need and choose a time for all of you to connect with the winery. We recommend an early evening or a lazy weekend lunch.
Choose the Wine
Choose the Wine: Think about the type of night you want to organize. If you are organising a dinner party or snacks for the tasting then you’ll probably be thinking about a good wine pairing. You can even ask the winery for suggestions. Or maybe you’re all white wine fans and want to try a mix of great whites with different grape varieties or different techniques such as white wines fermented in barrels. Perhaps your friends are big ecological wine fans or maybe they look for limited fine wines. Whatever your taste, browse through the types of wines that best suit your taste and buy the tasting kit and organize the time.
Give Yourself Time Before Your Wine Tasting Event
Remember that you will be receiving your wines directly from the winemaker and this could require an international shipment. So, make sure you organise your tasting event with plenty of time for you and all your friends to get your wines delivered before your event.
Set the Scene
Once your virtual wine tasting kits have arrived, then make sure you follow the winery’s storage and serving suggestions to ensure the wines are at their optimal temperature for the tasting. You’ll be sent a tasting sheet to be able to make your own notes and observations about the wines technical notes but also importantly, how it makes you feel, what it reminds you of? You may want to set the table and light some candles even if it’s just you and the winemaker. Treat yourself, it’s a special occasion. If you are holding a dinner party at your house, you could put out place names with the tasting sheets. It’s a memorable experience that you’ll all cherish.
Check the Connection
Make sure you take a look at the winemakers instructions on how to connect. Double-check that you’ve got the right platform you’ve agreed on, e.g. Zoom, Skype, GoToMeeting, etc
Keep it Light
Make it fun and keep it light. Make sure you engage your guest and get them to participate. You might want to prepare a quiz before hand and organise a prize for the winner. We use some great online app for our interactive wine tasting experiences for business.
