Wine Tastings: Teambuilding with Some Buzz
By Doc Lawrence
Wine tastings and pairings are very popular, and can be an elegant addition to meetings. Incorporating some enlightening wine demonstrations inspires group interaction and adds a memorable activity to a weekend retreat or a full-fledged conference. And with so many states around the country now promoting their wineries, you’ll most likely be able to offer a wine tour as well as give local flavor to your event.
While a wine tasting isn’t exactly rocket science, to be successful it requires leadership and thorough planning. The basics are stemware, a diverse selection of wines and workable tasting programs all blended with some joie de vivre. More than one master sommelier is on record as stating that if it’s not fun, it’s not really about wine. Early on, toss out the albatross of wine—pompousness.
Wine without food, said Pulitzer Prize winner Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, is “like a man without a woman.” Pairing, the most important part of the wine enjoyment journey, incorporates both and demonstrates the sensory rewards when everything is balanced.
There is no particular formula for a successful wine event, but a wine savvy emcee is required. The role might be filled by the hotel food and beverage staff, local wine journalists or wine educators. For teambuilding, here are a few programs worth thinking about.
Champagne for Breakfast
Starting a day this way breeds magic. For those who’ve made New Orleans a regular stop, this is no surprise. A Champagne tasting is nowhere near as expensive as it sounds. Many sparkling wines from France, Italy, Spain and the U.S. are very affordable. Gruet Brut Blanc de Noirs, a heralded sparkler from New Mexico, is an excellent choice. The excitement level peaks as these are paired with pastries, bagels, Eggs Benedict, cheese grits, bacon or country ham.
The lesson from this exercise is that Champagne and its sparkling wine cousins go with any food. A pianist playing Broadway show tunes, adding in some Chopin and Mozart, adds a touch of class.
The Opening Shot
Tastings can be in segments or in one event. Ideally, the environment should be informal and relaxed, where interaction is encouraged. Begin with a presentation about the language of wine: terroir, Old World wines and New World wines, and the noble grapes of the wine culture. Information about stemware, how to properly hold a glass, tasting etiquette and bottle storage will enhance the experience and help demystify it. After all, wine is actually made by farmers and has been around for thousands of years.
Have some demonstration wines poured in advance with a flyer explaining the glass, origin, style, etc. Taste each wine guided by the emcee’s commentary. The emcee proposes a toast—there are many easily found on Google.
Wine Comparisons
Turn a wine tasting into a competition. One option is to ask attendees, after tasting a selection of reds and whites, to write down the varieties they’d like to take home and why on small pieces of paper. Pull winners from a hat. Another competition is “The Name Game.” Participants use guessing skills to describe words like appellation, terroir, microclimate, reserve, corked, oaked, hot and, one of the most colorful, fruit-bomb. A handout connects facts with some PowerPoint maps and illustrations, and glasses of wine illustrate the meaning of the words. What was strange is quickly understood.
Maps work well for gaming. France has the Bordeaux, Italy the Piedmont, Spain the Rioja, America has Napa, Oregon has Willamette Valley, and so on. Pour wines into glasses for participants to contrast Old World and New World wines. The grapes that became these wines have the same DNA, but participants can be quizzed on which ones are which. Make them guess, after a series of educational segments, which one is a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon or a white Burgundy? Because you use all the taste senses, this is better than blind tastings because it encourages good repartee and dialogue.
The finale: Four wines are poured, and participants are asked to match them by country. Australia or America? Italy or Chile? Competition is always fun, particularly when there are collectible bottles of wine for the lucky winners. At the end, offer one final prize for the most accomplished wine “student.” Remember, many of your attendees may be flying home or to another destination after the event, so offer to ship awarded wines home for them.
Doc Lawrence is a noted travel, wine and food writer/consultant, and television producer who has served as a judge for many well-known wine and food festivals. You can read more of his travels and recommendations at docnews.com.
