group
Experiences
&
Offerings
Interactive Experiences for Groups
We bring the activities to you and your event and have been the Preferred Wine Experience Partner for Hotels & Resorts.
Blind Wine Tasting Experience
Guests taste, analyze, and revisit wines before casting their votes on what’s behind the masked bottles. Guided by our fun, down-to-earth sommeliers, this interactive experience challenges instincts as much as knowledge while teaching practical tips for identifying varietal personalities. Multiple winners?
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They’ll face off in a sudden-death taste-off for the ultimate bragging rights.
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Ideal for groups of 12–500
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Reception-style networking experience or seated
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Team play available
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Prizes for top tasters
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​Why People Book This
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It's high-energy
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Inclusive and instantly engaging
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Approachable
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Network Friendly
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Team building Element naturally baked in​
Wine Blending
Experience
Experience a unique and fun way to engage your guests with this interactive wine blending session. Guided by our energized charismatic sommeliers, this experience focuses on palate discovery. Taste through wines and learn how the personality of each grape plays a different role in building a solid wine blend. We bring the lab to you to blend your own wine.
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Recommended for group sizes 10 to 100 people
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Offered as seated or reception style
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Team Bonding or Individual programming
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Memorable Custom Takeaway
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Red Wine (Default), White is also available.
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Why People Book This
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Hands-on creativity meets team competition
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Collaboration, problem-solving, fun
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A company or event branded take-home keepsake for every participant
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'Sip & Spin'
Vinyl & Wine Tasting
Nostalgia and network friendly. Great for a lounge style experience with a sommelier and a turntablist. Guests will be able to select classic vinyl records/tracks among vintage style record shop crates while sipping on a wines hand selected by our team.
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Music plays a huge historical role in our team as our roots are literally in vintage vinyl and we have amassed a sizable selection from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin and Kenny Rogers to Electric Light Orchestra. Deep tracks and deep sips.
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We bring the turntable, the vinyl, the crates, and the entire vibe with wines.
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- Recommended for group sizes 10 to 500 people
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Why People Book This
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Instant Entertainment through Nostalgia
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Interactive Music and Wine element
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Memorable takeaway options are available
Sensory Wine & Food Challenge (AKA 'The Perfect Bite')
Intimate, friendly and one of our most sought after experiences.
Our sommeliers will dive into an in-depth custom sensory wine experience featuring various levels of aromatic and flavor discovery. Journey in your guided tasting through a series of aromas being represented by individual components creating a connection to the wines they correlate with.
Additionally, guests will engage in a ‘study of flavor balance’ when guided through a series of flavor experiments that open up the dialogue of tannin and the relationship of wines with food. Both incredibly memorable and practical studies of wine for guests to enjoy.
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Team Challenge
Apply what is learned to build the perfect appetizer bite by using an assortment of accoutrements provided (approx 30). Put your bite up against other teams for a panel of judges to decide on a specific criteria of balance and pair ability with one specific control wine.
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Stand alone tasting or a great add on to your dinner.
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Recommended for group sizes 10 to 75 people
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Offered as a seated experience
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Edutainment and insightful
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Practical Tips & Tricks from Sommeliers
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Why People Book This
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Hands-on creativity meets team competition
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Collaboration, problem-solving, fun
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Inclusive
Themed Wine Tasting
Enjoy a NOT BORING Wine Tasting with a theme! This experience offers the guest a chance to taste or enjoy a glass of something familiar or something new.
Themes such as: ​
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95+ PT Tasting
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Mountain Vs Valley Floor Wines
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Natural, Organic and Biodynamic Wines
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Is Cabernet Really King?
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West of France, Just North of LA
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Port & Madeira
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Vertical Wine Tasting
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Price Point Tasting
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- Recommended for group sizes 10 - 500 people
- Offered as seated seminar style or networking reception (stations)
A unique celebratory experience that makes everyone smile and get bubbly. Our non- boring sommeliers deliver a whimsical approach to tasting some classic 'fizzies' with enriched storytelling, introducing nostalgic garnishes and flavor infusions. Experience the forgotten tales of why we say cheers' and where the Ancient Romans first coined the term 'toast' when raising a glass. Ever saber a bottle of Champagne? Want to try? Discover where this classic ceremony began and sip with us!
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- Recommended for group sizes 10 - 500 people
- Offered as a reception style networking experience
- Think Wine Tasting meets Mixology
Mixology
Fizzy & Bubbly Tasting
Enjoy the artisan craft of mixology taught by seasoned professionals that have shook and flung many a cocktail in Michelin Star restaurants and speakeasies. Learn about the origins of specific cocktails while interacting in a hands on mixology experience. From bourbon to vodka, amaro to vermouth and everything in between, guests will dive into the nuances of how to balance a great cocktail and finish with garnish. The ultimate entertainment package.
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Recommended for:
- Group sizes 10 to 50 guests
- Offered as seated seminar style
- Engaging Hands on and interactive
- Mock-tail option available!
A unique celebratory experience that makes everyone smile and get bubbly. Our non- boring sommeliers deliver a whimsical approach to tasting some classic 'fizzies' with enriched storytelling, introducing nostalgic garnishes and flavor infusions. Experience the forgotten tales of why we say cheers' and where the Ancient Romans first coined the term 'toast' when raising a glass. Ever saber a bottle of Champagne? Want to try? Discover where this classic ceremony began and sip with us!
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Recommended for group sizes 12 - 500 people
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Offered as a reception style networking experience or seated
Winery & Vineyard Tour
Tasting Excursions
Authentically local and exploratory. Curated unique winery experiences in wine country featuring hard-to-find, critically-acclaimed, cult status, and delicious finds.
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Booking Tours in: ​
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Santa Barbara
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Napa
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Sonoma
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Livermore
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Temecula
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Eldorado & Amador
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Paso Robles
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Recommended for:
- Small Groups 2 - 12 people
- Large Groups 13 - 100
- Works with preferred transportation vendors
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Chocolate & Wine
Wine & Chocolate Pairing
Indulge your senses in a flavor combination that never ceases to impress, Chocolate & Wine. If you think chocolate is just rich and one dimensional, we have an experience for you. Discover the elegance and whimsy of non-traditional flavor combinations and complex layers of flavor with the pairing delicious premium quality wines. Your host sommelier will interact and engage with you and your guests while walking through a comparative/contrast of the elements.
This amazing program could not be possible without the friendship and continued partnership with the team at Kollar Chocolates.
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"I once had a VP of a very prestigious wine company that I worked for ridicule me of suggesting chocolate could work with wine, like I had burned down some elite pious wine monument! I have been proving them wrong since the day we started offering this experience. I get the Wonka story first hand watching each guest sip and bite." - Lamar
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Recommended for:
- Large Groups 100 - 1000
Sensory Wine & Food Challenge (AKA 'The Perfect Bite')
Intimate, friendly and one of our most sought after experiences.
Our sommeliers will dive into an in-depth custom sensory wine experience featuring various levels of aromatic and flavor discovery. Journey in your guided tasting through a series of aromas being represented by individual components creating a connection to the wines they correlate with.
Additionally, guests will engage in a ‘study of flavor balance’ when guided through a series of flavor experiments that open up the dialogue of tannin and the relationship of wines with food. Both incredibly memorable and practical studies of wine for guests to enjoy.
​​
Team Challenge
Apply what is learned to build the perfect appetizer bite by using an assortment of accoutrements provided (approx 30). Put your bite up against other teams for a panel of judges to decide on a specific criteria of balance and pair ability with one specific control wine.
​
Stand alone tasting or a great add on to your dinner.
​
-
Recommended for group sizes 10 to 75 people
-
Offered as a seated experience
-
Edutainment and insightful
-
Practical Tips & Tricks from Sommeliers
​
Why People Book This
-
Hands-on creativity meets team competition
-
Collaboration, problem-solving, fun
-
Inclusive
Themed Wine Tasting
Enjoy a NOT BORING Wine Tasting with a theme! This experience offers the guest a chance to taste or enjoy a glass of something familiar or something new.
Themes such as: ​
-
95+ PT Tasting
-
Mountain Vs Valley Floor Wines
-
Natural, Organic and Biodynamic Wines
-
Is Cabernet Really King?
-
West of France, Just North of LA
-
Port & Madeira
-
Vertical Wine Tasting
-
Price Point Tasting
​
- Recommended for group sizes 10 - 500 people
- Offered as seated seminar style or networking reception (stations)
A unique celebratory experience that makes everyone smile and get bubbly. Our non- boring sommeliers deliver a whimsical approach to tasting some classic 'fizzies' with enriched storytelling, introducing nostalgic garnishes and flavor infusions. Experience the forgotten tales of why we say cheers' and where the Ancient Romans first coined the term 'toast' when raising a glass. Ever saber a bottle of Champagne? Want to try? Discover where this classic ceremony began and sip with us!
​
- Recommended for group sizes 10 - 500 people
- Offered as a reception style networking experience
- Think Wine Tasting meets Mixology
"Lamar and his team are forever friends of Smart Meetings! He delivers passion for unique experiences for every guest. Expect to see a high touch, extremely thoughtful and warm approach dedicated to the guest. We loved the wine blending and blind tasting experience and all the energy that was brought, so fabulous!"
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Marin Bright
Founder / CEO
Smart Meetings Magazine
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