Attending a virtual wine tasting is fun and convenient

Key takeaways:

• Virtual wine tastings allow you to explore the world of wine from anywhere and sip samples from vineyards across the world. 
• The pandemic caused the wine industry to operate more online, with vineyards and independent companies offering online sales and virtual tastings.  
• Virtual tastings, happy hours, and classes are in high demand and will likely enjoy lasting popularity post-pandemic. 
• Virtual wine tastings bring many fun possibilities like choosing the venue, number of guests, food pairings, trivia, and more. 

Remember that wine lovers trip you dreamed of taking to Bordeaux, France that hasn’t happened? Well, now you can enjoy Bordeaux’s historic vineyards in the comfort of your own home. 

Welcome to the future of wine, where you enjoy your favorite libations and learn about new regions, anywhere. Virtual wine tastings allow you to meet interesting people in the wine world, connect with friends and other enthusiasts, and remotely visit vineyards across the world. We talk more about virtual tastings so you can see if you’d like to participate in one.  

What is a virtual wine tasting?

Virtual wine tasting is the experience of sampling wines in a remote setting. This can happen in many different ways. For example, the virtual tasting can be formally offered through a vineyard or it can be hosted by an independent wine expert. 

Tasters can gather friends and host their own virtual wine tastings, as well. There are endless possibilities when it comes to experiencing virtual tastings but they usually involve sampling wine, learning about particular vintages and vineyards, discovering food pairings to try at home, and having a fun and enjoyable time. 

What to consider when planning a virtual wine tasting

When it comes to virtual tastings, they can be as varied as the selection of wines. As a wine lover, it’s an exciting adventure to visit wineries and regions of the world you may not see in person. Here are a few decisions that should be made when planning a virtual wine tasting:

• What wines will you be tasting?

There are so many wines to choose from but virtual tastings usually focus on a particular region or a specific pairing. Some tastings, for example, showcase three to five organic wines and let attendees pick their favorites.

Once you choose the wines you’d like to taste, the virtual wine tasting host sends a list of the wines for attendees to purchase themselves or have shipped out to their specific location in advance. 

• Who will host?

For those interested in learning how to evaluate the wine they taste, having a sommelier as a host is a good idea. This option is available through vineyards or independent wine companies; a sommelier is a wine professional with formal training in all aspects of the industry.

With a sommelier hosting, you will be able to taste with an expert in real-time and assess the color, aromas, and flavors of the drinks featured. You’ll be transported to a lovely region that you can learn more about. 

With a wine expert as a virtual host, there is plenty of flexibility and multiple price tiers. You can opt for a small private tasting comprised of 10 people and hosted by a winery team member or choose a large Zoom venue of 150 wine lovers with a rotating roster of sommeliers. The choice is yours! 

• DIY tasting

Another option is to plan an event yourself. Bring fun and personalization to your tasting and allow guests across multiple remote locations to share one virtual experience. It is helpful to gather some information on wine nuances, flavors, and colors. Hop on a call, make a toast, and start tasting!

• Accommodate your preferences

Virtual wine tastings can be as formal or as casual as you’d like and as expensive or inexpensive, too. You can have an intimate tasting with wine educators, experts, and makers, or you can create a budget-friendly tasting with your best friends and have a playful atmosphere. Groups of friends often appreciate the virtual wine tasting experience as it allows them to come together across distance and time zones. 

• Date and time and platform

Most wine tastings last about an hour. Typical venues include Zoom, WhatsApp, Skype, and live streaming platforms (Facebook Live and Instagram Live). 

Enhancements to your virtual tasting

Many hosts add touches to make their online event extra special. For example, some add a cheese tasting to the mix to complement the various wines being showcased. Popular vineyards often include “virtual wine tasting” kits with their virtual tastings – these handy boxes are replete with featured wines and an assortment of sweet and savory snacks. Also, tasting notes are often included to allow virtual guests to sip and learn, build a passion for wine, and gain confidence and experience. 

Scavenger hunts, pairing parties, breakout rooms, and creative themes all add an element of fun to the virtual wine experience. Virtual tastings can be combined with art, yoga, music, live cooking segments, wellness education, and more.  

Bring on the fun

In addition to revealing the ins and outs of what makes each wine special, many hosts of virtual wine tasting events provide guests with interactive trivia contests, live Question & Answer sessions, and fun facts about the regions and varietals. Some online hosts provide props, such as shopping lists, tasting sheets, extensive wine lists, and flavor wheels. 

A great choice for special events

Virtual wine tastings are a great way to keep morale high, celebrate good times, or build a sense of shared purpose for wine enthusiasts. Corporations tap into these tastings and put on virtual happy hour events, team-building functions, or corporate parties. Virtual wine tastings are a great way to celebrate a wine lover’s birthday, too.

What started as a way to relax and decompress during the pandemic has become a popular offering that is likely here to stay. A virtual tasting is fun, relaxing, educational, and convenient. 

If you’re hosting your own virtual wine tasting, why not go organic? Organic wine has no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. It is better for your body and the planet and many say it tastes even better than conventional. 

To get started with an organic virtual wine tasting, browse our selection of organic, vegan wines from Mendoza, Argentina.