Every wine has a story to tell...let Wine Unearthed share it!

Why host an event with Wine Unearthed?

  • Wine tasting events attract new customers
  • Hosting an event creates great publicity (many papers and magazines are keen to find out what’s going on!)
  • It’s a great way to reward regular customers and other business associates by offering them priority purchase on tickets for this special event.
  • Wine Unearthed ensures the event appeals to both the enthusiastic beginner and wine expert.
  • Guests get to try different wines with each course instead of buying one bottle to go with the whole meal.
  • Guests who have bought tickets are genuinely interested in finding out about the different food and wines.
  • Guests have a fun and sociable evening and even learn a thing or two!
  • Guests get to meet like minded individuals.

So how does it work?

1) First decide on the style of event you’re looking for:

Party/Networking – A more informal approach where we would suggest serving canapés throughout the event.

Gourmet Wine Tasting Dinner – There are many ways to approach this here is our recommended style:
  • The standard structure of a Gourmet event would start with a reception drink followed by introductions and an overview of the event.
  • For a 3-5 course set menu we would taste around 6-8 wines, with some or all courses tasting two wines. If you wish to do a degustation menu then we would match one wine to each course.
  • We would serve the wines before each course to allow them to be tasted before food and talk a bit about them. Guests often like to share their impressions or ask questions about the wine. The arrival of the food can often make the wines taste very different.
  • How you set up the restaurant can also have an effect on the event. It often works best with a few larger tables as it creates a more sociable and relaxed atmosphere and enables people to feel more comfortable discussing the food and wines. They will leave feeling more part of the event and more likely to book again.

    Regular Wine tasting events: Customers can look forward to a regular event held at a frequency that suits your business (monthly/quarterly etc.). We would recommend giving each event a specific area/theme and putting them on your events calendar.

    What subjects can we cover? The options are endless. We can help you decide what’s best for you. Just a few examples of subject areas include:
    • General Food & Wine matching (good for your first gourmet wine event)
    • France vs. New Zealand
    • New World vs. Old World
    • Focus on one country (Australia’s Fine wines & regionality)
    • Focus one Region (e.g. Loire Valley)
    • Focus on one Producer (looking at different wine styles and vintages e.g. Vergelegen South Africa*)
    • Focus on one grape (e.g. Riesling, a most versatile grape)
    • Champagne (Champagne & Other Sparkling, Champagne House Styles, Vintage & NV)

    We can provide a full list of ideas from more general ones to very specific. We will always want to ensure that the food and wine compliment one another.

    *when focusing on a producer do prefer to use wines of one the many producers we have been fortunate enough to visit and preferably where we have spent time with the winemaker (Andre Van Rensburg in the case of Vergelegen)...oh and of course, we like their wines!

    2) How many people?

    This is one of the key variables in determining the cost of the event. Basically you can have as few or as many as you people as you want. As a guide intimate parties of <20 will have a premium cost per head whereas events of 50+ will cost less per head.

    3) Wines:

    The number of wines, style of wines, and cost of wines will depend on the style and structure of the event and the budget. We are not tied in with any one supplier and we are not wine distributors, therefore wine unearthed are not charging a premium on the wines. We will select the best wines at the relevant price point that work for the tasting event. This means we are able to source the best wines for the occasion.

    4) Food:

    For the ‘General Food and wine matching’ option then we will match the wines to your choice of menu. If we are covering a specific area that may cause limitations on the food options then we will suggest styles that work with the wines. As a general rule it’s easier for us to find the wines and your menu may often drive the subject of the wine tasting.

    5) Publicity/Marketing:

    For events open to the public we can provide additional marketing where required. We automatically will inform our clients and market through wine networks. Often magazines and newspapers are keen to cover special events – we will keep them informed should you wish.

    6) Costing:

    Please call Wine Unearthed to discuss the sort of event you’d like us to host. We are more than happy to meet you and discuss any ideas in person. Just call today and we can provide a no-obligation quote for your wine event.