Team Tasting in Fitzrovia, London
I'd been asked to run a work team social tasting for around 40 people as a pre-cursor to the team heading out into London for their quarterly work All Hands event - it needed to last about 90 minutes and act as an energising session to get the whole team in the mood for a fun night out.
Clear brief:
- Bring some accessible wines that will appeal to a broad range of peopl
- Pair them with some nibbles
- Share a show-stopper wine to slurp along with the pizza order that's coming from Icco Pizza.
- Make it fun
Simply put: Pretention pairs badly with everything.
Brief nailed, here's what I delivered on the night. HR approved. Mostly.
The Fizz
Sparkling White: Langlois-Chateau Crémant de Loire Reserve Brut.
100% Chenin Blanc grape, produced in the same way as champagne is produced (and the vineyard in the Loire, just outside Saumur, is owned by Bollinger 
:yum:).
Paired with: Goat's cheese on a sourdough rye cracker + Nocellara olives (to cater for Gluten Free)
The White
Still White: Saint-Veran from the Mâconnais region (southern Burgundy in France). 100% Chardonnay grape that's been fermented for a short time in oak (vanilla / buttery flavours) and steel (to retain the unique minerality of the soil in which the vines grow 
).
Paired with: Smoked Salmon / cream cheese / Blini + Mushroom + garlic vol-au-vent
The Red
Red Wine: Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from the Abruzzo region of Italy. 100% Montepulciano grape (not to be confused with the village of Montepulciano in Tuscany, where Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from the Sangiovese grape 
).
Paired with: Pizza from ICCO Pizza, Fitzrovia
What's Next?
Now your turn. If you'd like to explore a fun and inclusive tasting for a private group, a team social, or a big corporate event - drop me a line.