Seeing how much it means to them makes it worth the effort."įrom $49 a masterclass, including wine delivery. It's about engaging with and supporting our customers. "We don't make a lot of money from the tastings.
"The chat section is open to participants so it is generally an explosion of wine descriptors. "We try to bring some razzle-dazzle to the tastings," Green says. Le Pont's tasting themes have included the Villages of Burgundy Pinot Noir masterclass (featuring eight red Burgundies from the Côte-d'Or), a Communes of Barolo Masterclass with wine guru and importer David Ridge, and a spotlight on the wines of Saumur with producer Arnaud Lambert. When a customer opened the door and said, 'You are literally the highlight of my life right now!' Green knew he was onto something.Ĭonnection and education are part of the package. The team delivers 50ml vials before the Wednesday evening tasting. Le Pont hosts weekly virtual fine wine tastings delivered to homes within a 10-kilometre radius of its Sydney and Melbourne stores. It seems like a great way for businesses to connect staff, no matter where they're based."Ī well-executed virtual tasting has the potential to make you a better, more informed drinker. I think virtual tastings are here to stay – especially in the corporate world.
The result? "People seem more enthused about wine and respect the product more. "We made a conscious decision to put a stop to the kind of Zoom format where people are simply being 'talked to'."īy submitting your email you are agreeing to Fairfax Media's "You can't educate without entertaining and empowering people," he says. Green was a teacher before hospitality stole his heart 30 years ago. We sold 50 tickets in less than 24 hours. "We decided to do it as a virtual masterclass via Zoom instead. "We had to cancel an on-site chablis tasting for 16 people when Melbourne's fourth lockdown hit," he says. The best virtual tastings are engaging, as Paul Green from Sydney and Melbourne's Le Pont Wine Store knows all too well. Poor sound quality, camera angles and preparation are other pitfalls.īut done well, they are wonderful. They're not all winners, as anyone who has watched a winemaker talk awkwardly at a screen will attest. Virtual tastings come in many forms from live-streamed, interactive masterclasses to pre-recorded webinars. In many cases, that means sending booze straight to homes – with a compelling side dish of education. National lockdowns and border closures challenge forced small bars, wineries and beverage merchants to re-think the way they connect with consumers. One participant is in his pyjamas, another is sipping over a picnic at their local park, someone has logged in from their living room, while a Sydney sommelier tastes from their backyard. As the wine tasting progresses, friendships blossom and things get a little rowdy. A group of strangers gather with glasses full, cheese platters heaving, faces smiling and banter flowing as a winemaker talks them through a line-up of wine. Sharpen your wine knowledge in the meantime with these expert online tutorials and tastings. This summer promises to be a social swirl of eating and drinking.
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