No Need to Drink Alone, Even in a Pandemic
If there's one thing the pandemic has proven, it's that wine is essential (whassup, Colorado?). During lockdown, off-premise wine sales rose nearly 30% nationwide, according to Nielsen. While a glass of wine and quiet contemplation used to be a luxury, after a few weeks, we're a little over it.
That's where WineGame comes in. Pick your favorite bottle, open up the wine tips in the app and voilà, it's not boozing, it's education. We're not the only game in town, though. Vintners, retailers and producers (even our own José Andrés) are stepping up with online tastings and talks to jazz up your solo cocktail hour. Silver lining: no need to drive home. Here are a few of our faves.
*Spanish Wine Tasting with José: Yep, in addition to feeding the world, Chef Andrés is helping spread the word about Spanish wine, with Saturday virtual tastings on his Instagram feed, @chefjoseandres. (While you’re there, check out the adorable scrambled egg-off with daughter Carlota. Spoiler alert: José resorts to cooking with a blow torch!)
*Wine.com is hosting an impressive array of wine and spirit makers and pros, live streaming as they taste and explain their processes. Next up: Oregon and Santa Barbara — and don’t miss the Breaking Bad duo Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, proprietors of Dos Hombres, on their Espadin Mescal.
*California wineries: Shuttered to visitors, vineyards including Stag’s Leap, Matthiasson, and others have virtually opened their tasting rooms, many offering special deals on spotlighted wines. Check out discovercaliforniawines.com for happy hours and other online events.
*Don’t know much about Virginia wine? Now’s your chance, with virtual events streamed from many vineyards, including Thomas Jefferson’s. There’s even a Wine Bootcamp, hosted by Little Washington Winery. A list of offerings is online at Virginiawine.org.
*Restaurants are getting in on the act, too, like NYC’s Corkbuzz, offering virtual wine classes which participants follow along with their own wine. New Orlean’s famed Commander’s Palace is hosting a weekly “Don’t Stand Too Close to Me” virtual cocktail party; $105 buys 3 wines with companion cheeses delivered to your home to taste along. At Field & Main in Marshall, Va. — an early WG adopter!— owner Neil Wavra hosts a Mystery Wine Game each Thursday, in which he attempts to divine the identity of a wine chosen for him by a member of his staff. One way to find out what is going on is to check out www.localwineevents.com, which boasts an impressive list of virtual wine opportunities.
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