How do you like your wine tasting?

Last night I hosted an Organic, Biodynamic and Natural wine tasting in West London. 20 people gathered to learn about the difference in the vine growing and wine making between the 3 different styles. Because more and more people are conscious of what they eat and how their choices affect their health they look at these wines with curiosity and very often with incomprehension? Why can a wine be vegan? What is biodynamic? There are so many concepts out there and labels are not necessarily helping consumers to make an educated choice. Certifications are expensive and many wine makers even though choosing sustainable and low intervention wine making don't benefit from any recognition for it. And when it's not on the label how can the consumer know what he is going to have?

Well I did my best to walk our group through these 3 different types last night however when it comes to a wine tasting event, I don't want a night with wine to be boring.. if you are having wine, why not enjoy it and discuss your impressions with your friends? That's why I like to pair people up with a wine buddy or a smaller tasting group to discuss impressions and to see how each of us perceives wine... after all we all have different palates and our appreciation is linked to our personal taste of course but also to our past experience and how complex we like our wine to be!

So last night, our wine tasting turned into a little competition about basic knowledge of the theme... to make sure the group gathered the basics.. Who is Rudolph Steiner and what did he bring to wine making? I am sure his name will be stuck in everybody's mind now (aka the father of biodynamic to make it short)

But more importantly I wanted to make sure everybody was having a good time, making new friends, reconnecting with old ones, finding your next date or a new business partner... letting go of the weekly stress and enjoying the moment.

That's why at the end I had a "dress up challenge" and with wigs, masks provided by the venue The Little Blue Door and it was just amazing to see everyone having so much fun and connecting despite the difference of age and nationalities. Because if wine can't bring you together... who will?