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 £360 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 £200 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 £200 wine budget would cost £560, covering 6 wines, starting at 7.30pm and lasting 90 minutes.
Off-site Tastings
Like our instore tastings, these comprise a fixed tasting fee and flexible wine budget, but may require us to cost additional members of staff, travel and so on, depending on your requirements, so the examples below are only guidelines.
Whether you would like to host your tasting in another venue or at home, the tasting fee is £600 inc. VAT. Any additional fees charged by your venue will be your responsibility, unless you have asked us to find a venue, in which case additional costs will be agreed in advance and will need to paid upfront to secure a tasting date.
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 £200 based on one bottle of each wine. Please 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 we can provide detailed guidance on as part of the costing.
Maximum numbers will be determined by the venue but, for the smartest use of the budget, we advise working in multiples of 16, as this the recommended number of samples we can pour from a bottle. Therefore, for every 16 tasters, the wine budget will need to double. This means that the wine budget required to serve 36 tasters would be the same as for 19 tasters.
To secure a tasting date, a non-refundable deposit of the tasting fee must be made in advance, with the wines to be paid no later than 24 hours in advance of the tasting.
To enquire about an in-store tasting, please get in touch with your local store.
To enquire about an off-site tasting, please contact us.
