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In-Store Tastings
Our regular shop tastings are at the heart of what we do, and we have run over 1,000 since we opened in 2002, covering wine, beer and spirits.
The tastings happen regularly and are designed to be relaxed, informal and accessible for everyone, whether you are exploring wine for the first time, broadening your horizons, or delving deeper into your favourite regions and styles.
Each tasting will have a theme and a host, who will present 6-8 wines, providing insight into the regions, producers and grape varieties on show, as well as discussing the flavour profile of the wines.
To view tastings for your local store, please follow the links below to the Eventbrite booking pages. Due to demand, all bookings for all stores must be made through Eventbrite.
Private Tastings
We host private tastings for everything from birthday parties to wine clubs and fundraisers for local schools and the charities of our customers.
Whether you have a group who want to learn more about wine, would like to celebrate a special occasion with something a bit different, or your work team want to get together outside the office, we can create a customised wine, beer or spirits tasting just for you.
Private tastings are priced primarily on the basis of whether they are hosted in one of our shops or in an off-site location.
Instore Tastings
These are based on a simple pricing structure, with a flat-rate tasting fee and flexible wine budget established in advance.
The tasting fee is £400 inc. VAT. This includes the creation and presentation of the tasting by the host, a selection of quality cheeses and charcuterie, tasting sheets and quality glassware.
The wine selection is made by the presenter on the basis of a predetermined budget set by you. Wines are charged at retail price and there is a minimum wine spend of £300 based on one bottle of each wine. Bear in mind that more ambitious themes, like tastings of wines from classic French or Italian regions, or sparkling wine tastings, will require a larger budget than more eclectic or good value themes. This is something the presenter can provide detailed guidance on as part of the costing.
A standard tasting will comprise 6-8 wines and last 90 minutes to 2 hours. There is a maximum capacity of 16 tasters and we recommend starting at 7.30pm to avoid the busy period in the evenings. Please be aware that the shop will remain open to customers throughout the tasting.
To secure a tasting date, a non-refundable deposit of the tasting fee must be paid, with the wine budget to be paid no later than 24 hours in advance of the tasting.
For example, a typical instore private tasting with a £300 wine budget would cost £700, covering 6 wines, starting at 7.30pm and lasting 90 minutes.
Corporate Tastings
If you are looking for a sophisticated networking event, refined team building evening or just a fun night with delicious wines to celebrate a job well done, a corporate tasting might be for you.
We have experience hosting bespoke private tastings from 12 to 250 tasters, ranging from competitive blind tasting to masterclass sessions on some of the world's leading estates and wines. We have created a show for law firms, banks, film and media organisations and many more.
We are able to host in our stores or at your office, as well as a range of external venues. We can also host online tastings using Zoom, with the tasting materials sent out in advance to the attendees. This can be a useful lower-cost option as well as catering to geographically dispersed teams.
To find out more, contact us with an outline of your budget and requirements.