Wine~Works
Wine & Beer Tastings with a Difference
Confused by Wine Descriptions?
I am often told by customers and students alike that they find it difficult enough to describe a wine's flavour or aroma without being further confused by some of the poetic descriptions offered on the reverse label. I thought this recent article in Harper's highlighted the problem quite succinctly.
Wine descriptions are more pompous than helpful, and most of them fail to help consumers understand the taste of the wine.
That's the damning verdict of UK wine drinkers who were asked about wine and words in a poll commissioned by Laithwaite's Wine.
The online survey of 1,000 wine drinking adults was carried out by One Poll and excluded Laithwaite's customers.
Some 55% of those polled said wine descriptions failed to help them understand the taste of wine, while nearly two thirds said they never get the same smells from wine as are suggested from the label. Only 9% said they looked to wine critics before choosing a bottle.
The respondents were also asked to select which specific words - used by critics, supermarkets and on wine labels in the last year - they found most and least helpful. The most useful terms were fresh, mellow, zesty, peachy and earthy but terms including firm skeleton, old bones, wet stone, tongue spanking and haunting were selected as the least helpful.
Asked why the descriptions were not helpful, responses included finding them meaningless, bearing no relationship to a wine's taste, pretentious and a load of poppycock.
Six out of ten people said picking out a clear fruit taste in the wine was the best way to help understand a wine's taste and also found it helpful when food pairings were suggested.
Nearly half of the group surveyed said wine descriptions could be improved by using modern day language and comparisons.
"We have probably been guilty ourselves of using overblown language in the past but this is a wake-up call to the whole wine industry to make a change," said Laithwaite's Wine's global wine consultant and taste expert Justin Howard-Sneyd MW.
"Describing wine is not an exact science. Wine and taste are very personal, very subjective things. A wine that I think tastes of cherry, could taste totally different to someone else, so it's no wonder that there is such a vast variety of language when it comes to wine descriptions," he added.
From a recent article in Harper's.
Wine and chocolate lovers combine!
Are you a wine and chocolate lover?
Do you long for a heavenly bar of chocolate after a long day in the office? We have what you need, and you could even make a party out of it and invite your friends around to share in the delights we have to offer.
Here at Wine Works we long to throw the party of the year with our wine and chocolate tasting, but that's not all we do. We even do some beer tastings with cheese samples as well. So if you have friends who don't take a fancy to a glass of wine, bring them anyway. I'm sure they would love a nice cold beer that we have in store.
When we throw a party there is nothing for our customers to do other than take yourself to one of many venues around London that we often host many of our fantastic parties. So all that stress of setting the tables, planning the lay-out of the rooms, placing all those glasses, that's a thing of the past. We take care of everything. We will even supply all the glasses, all the desired products and even some finger food if our guests get hungry.
Wine and chocolate parties
We ensure all our customers get the very best for their money. That's why we never cut corners when doing what we do. We always give the very best in everything and make sure we are on top of our game 24-7. We are also more flexible than a slinky falling down the stairs. We can bend around any times people might come up with and make sure we are always there regardless of time or location around the entire United Kingdom.
Got someone in your wine and chocolate party that's vegetarian or vegan? No problem! Let us know all about it and we will take care of everything. We have a fantastic range of vegan and vegetarian wines that would suit them perfectly and with all the suitable finger foods we have they will not go hungry!
So call us today if you love wine and chocolate and want to have the party of the century.
London Wine Tasting
London wine tasting is readily available by countless firms.
How do you choose? Here is a list you must consider when hiring a company for your wine tasting event whether it is a private wine tasting or a corporate one.
Venue - Are you locked into a venue the company uses regularly? Make sure you have the choice to host your wine tasting event anywhere you would like. Ask if they offer the option to come to your place of business or home. This can really save your budget.
Food - Here again check if you are under some obligation to use the wine tasting company's approved supplier. Do you have the flexibility to have whatever kind of food you choose?
Quotations - If you are getting quotations it is incredibly important to make sure the London wine tasting quote you are receiving is like for like. You may find a great deal at an unbelievable price but what kind of value are you getting? Make sure of the quality of the wines you are receiving to convey they right tone for your event. You don't want your guests feeling like you chose the cheapest option, mediocre wines never impress. Make sure you ask:
how long the event is- how many different wines are provided
- how many bottles
- if nibbles are included
- is VAT charged or included
- how deposits are paid
- what if the event is cancelled
- what if there are less people or more than expected
Qualifications - All workers associated with your event should have a minimum WSET, (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) qualified to Diploma level and be trained by someone who has passed the Masters of Wine Examination
Experience - What sort of experience does the provider have? How long have they been in the industry? Have they just taken a course or do they have years of experience?
Flexible - Can they provide vegan or kosher wines if you have guests with certain restrictions? Can they plan your event to fit the occasion or is it a one size fits all package?
Mood - What is the person you are getting the quote from like? Are they lively and chatty? Or somber and serious? Being up in front of a group takes personality and daring. Ask to speak to the person who will lead the event on the phone, if you aren't enjoying the conversation then the chances are you may not enjoy the event.
London Wine Tasting
Choosing a London wine tasting can be daunting but Wine-Works has everything you need to make it an event to remember.
English Sparkling Wines: A Threat to Champagne?
As big supporters of English Sparkling Wines and showing them regularly in our wine tastings, we found this recent article in Harpers more than just a bit interesting.
English sparkling wine could become the biggest threat to future Champagne sales if the quality and diversity of offer continues to improve.
That was the prediction of Jean Smullen, wine educator and journalist, at a special seminar focused on global sparkling wine at Vinitaly in Verona this week.
"England is the biggest competitor for Champagne," warned Smullen, "and the Champenois need to become more aware of that."
Smullen said in the past the most prestigious sparkling wines have come from France, but now they have serious challengers amongst English winemakers.
Speaking at a special tasting seminar, ‘Bubbles across the Waves', Smullen claimed England had the potential to dominate the sparkling wine category in terms of quality and prestige and that English sparkling wine was one of the strongest categories emerging on the international wine scene. "It is a force to be reckoned with," she added.
England has also, she stressed, played a significant role in the history of sparkling wine production, dating back to its beginnings by supplying glass strong enough to hold a carbonated beverage. "The sparkling wine industry owns its origins to the English and their glass making abilities rather than the French," she added.
But despite its historical connection, England has not gone on to become a major player in the sparkling wine category, until potentially now. "If I got this in a blind tasting, I never would have said ‘England'," said Smullen, after tasting the Bolney Estate Blanc de Blancs Brut 2007.
It has been a strong couple of weeks for English sparkling wine producers in the international market following the success of their first stand at Prowein last month
"Watch this space," said Smullen, "particularly for sparkling wines."
We can arrange a sparking wine tasting here in London or anywhere in the UK or if you prefer any type of champagne tasting, beer tasting, wine and chocolate tasting just to name a few your private wine tasting or corporate wine tasting is always in good hands with Wine-Works.
Wine tasting at home party
A wine tasting at home party is the perfect way to entertain. Nothing beats good friends, good wines and learning about wines in a fun way in the comfort of your own home.
Whether you are looking for an elegant soiree or fun and games at a hen party, we can cater to your personal tastes and ideas.
We can do blind tastings, guess the grape, fun wine trivia, pairing wines with foods, or whatever you can imagine to do with wines. But what if you want to invite guests who may not like wine? Then we can provide grappa tastings, cheese tastings, brandy tastings, whiskey tastings, chocolate tastings, beer tastings or champagne tastings right along side so everyone has an interest.
Wine tasting at home party
We can help you with every detail such as cheeses and accessories or equally follow your explicit instructions.
No one feels left out because we assess everyone's wine knowledge and always inform at just the right level. No one wants to feel like they are back in school! We like to keep it relaxed and light-hearted so everyone enjoys themselves. Our wine master has been in the wine business for almost 30 years and he would have never lasted that long without making wines fun.
We typically work from dry to sweet with white wines and progress from light to full-bodied with red wines. Also, it is ideal to start with younger wines and move to the more mature wines at the end. But in the end it is your wine tasting at home party and we can fit in nicely with any plans you may have.
We explore aromas, colours, and flavours to open up your palate in a new way.
So if you are looking for a wine tasting at home party, call us now.
Corporate Wine Tasting
We can provide a corporate wine tasting for a group of any size or in any setting.
What a fantastic way to entertain any client or bring a team closer together. We can inform and entertain either the most educated palate or the absolute beginner.
A good event means taking account the audience, the atmosphere, even the time of day. We never try to fit one package to all our wine tasting experiences, we make sure your event caters to your needs specifically. No one trick pony here. Our master of wine has spent 29 years in the wine industry and that kind of experience means a vast well of knowledge that can never fully be tapped. Experience counts if you want a relaxed yet fun event.
We can come to you or help you find the perfect venue. We have been gathering resources to make sure that we can match the venue to hit just the right note, no matter what you are searching for. Maybe you just need us to fill a time slot or you might want an wine tasting experience that could even span over days, Wine-Works offers the flexibility yet reliability to make you shine. We can take care of all the details like, glasses, wine selections, or snacks to take the worry out of your planning.
Corporate wine tasting:
Boardroom tastings- Wine and cheese tastings
- Wine and chocolate tastings
- Champagne tastings
- Beer tastings
- Christmas tasting events
- or anything else yo can imagine
We understand that the success of a corporate event can make all the difference in the impression it leaves. You will never see mediocre from us. Though we believe in delivering value for money, we NEVER skimp. We love wine because we appreciate the finer things and we mean to always make sure anyone leaving a corporate wine tasting from us has truly experienced the best on offer.
Corporate Wine Tasting
We can provide a corporate wine tasting for a group of any size or in any setting.
What a fantastic way to entertain any client or bring a team closer together. We can inform and entertain either the most educated palate or the absolute beginner.
A good event means taking account the audience, the atmosphere, even the time of day. We never try to fit one package to all our wine tasting experiences, we make sure your event caters to your needs specifically. No one trick pony here. Our master of wine has spent 29 years in the wine industry and that kind of experience means a vast well of knowledge that can never fully be tapped. Experience counts if you want a relaxed yet fun event.
We can come to you or help you find the perfect venue. We have been gathering resources to make sure that we can match the venue to hit just the right note, no matter what you are searching for. Maybe you just need us to fill a time slot or you might want an wine tasting experience that could even span over days, Wine-Works offers the flexibility yet reliability to make you shine. We can take care of all the details like, glasses, wine selections, or snacks to take the worry out of your planning.
Corporate wine tasting:
- Boardroom tastings
- Wine and cheese tastings
- Wine and chocolate tastings
- Champagne tastings
- Beer tastings
- Christmas tasting events
- or anything else yo can imagine
We understand that the success of a corporate event can make all the difference in the impression it leaves. You will never see mediocre from us. Though we believe in delivering value for money, we NEVER skimp. We love wine because we appreciate the finer things and we mean to always make sure anyone leaving a corporate wine tasting from us has truly experienced the best on offer.
Corporate Wine Tasting
We can provide a corporate wine tasting for a group of any size or in any setting.
What a fantastic way to entertain any client or bring a team closer together. We can inform and entertain either the most educated palate or the absolute beginner.
A good event means taking account the audience, the atmosphere, even the time of day. We never try to fit one package to all our wine tasting experiences, we make sure your event caters to your needs specifically. No one trick pony here. Our master of wine has spent 29 years in the wine industry and that kind of experience means a vast well of knowledge that can never fully be tapped. Experience counts if you want a relaxed yet fun event.
We can come to you or help you find the perfect venue. We have been gathering resources to make sure that we can match the venue to hit just the right note, no matter what you are searching for. Maybe you just need us to fill a time slot or you might want an wine tasting experience that could even span over days, Wine-Works offers the flexibility yet reliability to make you shine. We can take care of all the details like, glasses, wine selections, or snacks to take the worry out of your planning.
Corporate wine tasting:
- Boardroom tastings
- Wine and cheese tastings
- Wine and chocolate tastings
- Champagne tastings
- Beer tastings
- Christmas tasting events
- or anything else yo can imagine
We understand that the success of a corporate event can make all the difference in the impression it leaves. You will never see mediocre from us. Though we believe in delivering value for money, we NEVER skimp. We love wine because we appreciate the finer things and we mean to always make sure anyone leaving a corporate wine tasting from us has truly experienced the best on offer.
Corporate Wine Tasting
We can provide a corporate wine tasting for a group of any size or in any setting.
What a fantastic way to entertain any client or bring a team closer together. We can inform and entertain either the most educated palate or the absolute beginner.
A good event means taking account the audience, the atmosphere, even the time of day. We never try to fit one package to all our wine tasting experiences, we make sure your event caters to your needs specifically. No one trick pony here. Our master of wine has spent 29 years in the wine industry and that kind of experience means a vast well of knowledge that can never fully be tapped. Experience counts if you want a relaxed yet fun event.
We can come to you or help you find the perfect venue. We have been gathering resources to make sure that we can match the venue to hit just the right note, no matter what you are searching for. Maybe you just need us to fill a time slot or you might want an wine tasting experience that could even span over days, Wine-Works offers the flexibility yet reliability to make you shine. We can take care of all the details like, glasses, wine selections, or snacks to take the worry out of your planning.
Corporate wine tasting:
Boardroom tastings- Wine and cheese tastings
- Wine and chocolate tastings
- Champagne tastings
- Beer tastings
- Christmas tasting events
- or anything else yo can imagine
We understand that the success of a corporate event can make all the difference in the impression it leaves. You will never see mediocre from us. Though we believe in delivering value for money, we NEVER skimp. We love wine because we appreciate the finer things and we mean to always make sure anyone leaving a corporate wine tasting from us has truly experienced the best on offer.
A ‘Winebulance’??
I saw this photo yesterday and thought it quite amusing so decided to share it.
Always ready to accept any funny wine related pictures or cartoons that you have.
Can you imagine this vehicle pulling up to your corporate wine tasting or your private wine tasting? We must get one.
A ‘Winebulance’??
I saw this photo yesterday and thought it quite amusing so decided to share it.
Always ready to accept any funny wine related pictures or cartoons that you have.
Can you imagine this vehicle pulling up to your corporate wine tasting or your private wine tasting? We must get one.
A ‘Winebulance’??
I saw this photo yesterday and thought it quite amusing so decided to share it.
Always ready to accept any funny wine related pictures or cartoons that you have.
Can you imagine this vehicle pulling up to your corporate wine tasting or your private wine tasting? We must get one.
Latest News
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All the girls loved it and most were quite giggly by its conclusion. Look forward to the next one!
- Sarah H
It was a fantastic experience and great to do something different. And, most importantly, my brother had a great time’
- Ed
We were absolutely delighted to be chosen to host Hagar’s Charity Fundraising event in Central London! Lots of fun and importantly…lots of money raised for a very good cause!
- Jane W
Hagar Charity EventThank you for a well-organised and entertaining event last week at Luton Hoo. We had much fun and I thought you handled the crowd of “would-be-wine-boffins” very well.
- Dorte Wigg
IK Investment Partners Limited
100 VoucherThe Wine Guy says...
"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food."
"I should say upfront that I have never been in a cellar in my life. In fact, I can see no reason why anyone should ever go into a cellar unless there is wine involved."
"Beer is made by men, wine by God."
"Wine gladdens the heart of man."
"Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages."
"In wine, there's truth."
"High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water."
"This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts."
"If we sip the wine, we find dreams coming upon us out of the imminent night"
"Give me wine to wash me clean of the weather stains of cares"
"Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile"
"Wine enters through the mouth, Love, the eyes. I raise the glass to my mouth, I look at you,I sigh."
"Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized."
"Wine is like the incarnation--it is both divine and human"
"Wine makes all things possible."
"Sir, I did not count your glasses of wine, why should you number up my cups of tea?"
"Wine can be a better teacher than ink, and banter is often better than books"
"Life's too short to drink cheap wine..."
"The first kiss and the first glass of wine are the best."
"A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover"
"I prefer my water in wine form."
"White wine is like electricity. Red wine looks and tastes like a liquified beefsteak."
"Great wine works wonders and is itself one"
"To take wine into our mouths is to savour a droplet of the river of human history"
"Wine gives one 'ideas,' whereas champagne gives one 'strategies."
"Men are like wine-some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age."
"Most days I juggle everything quite well, on the other days there's always red wine."
"There is truth in wine, but you never see it listed in the ingredients on the label"
"Always carry a corkscrew and the wine shall provide itself."
"Wine is like the incarnation-it is both divine and human."
"Wine improves with age. The older I get the more I like it."
"Age is just a number. It's totally irrelevant, unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine."
"My only regret in life is that I did not drink enough Champagne."
"Consuming wine in moderation daily will help people to die young as late as possible."
"Wine is the thinking person's health drink."
"Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young, makes weariness forget his toil"
"The wine cup is the little silver well, where truth, if truth there be, doth dwell"
"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance"
"Good wine is a necessity of life for me"
"Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life"
"I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate and I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself"
"God made water, but man made wine"
"Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy"
"Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures"
"A bottle of good wine, like a good act, shines ever in the retrospect"
"Like human beings, a wine's taste is going to depend a great deal on its origins and its upbringing"
"Compromises are for relationships, not wine"
"Language is wine upon the lips"
"Wine is wonderful stuff, but so many people are put off by the snobbery of it"
"I'm only drinking white wine because I'm on a diet and I don't eat"
"Wine has been with civilised man since the beginning"
"Whenever a man is tired, wine is a great restorer"
"Wine rejoices the heart of man and joy is the mother of all virtues"
"A waltz and a glass of wine invite an encore"
"Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing."
"Good wine carrieth a man to heaven"
"Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin. Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved."
"A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine."
07707 321587 - Charles