Dan and Sarah hosted their housewarming wine tasting at their new home in Godalming, Surrey, inviting five couples made up of old friends and a few new neighbours they wanted to get to know properly. The boxes were still stacked in a couple of corners and not everything was fully unpacked, which suited the evening because they wanted it to feel welcoming rather than anything too formal.
They asked for the standard format of three reds and three whites, with nothing too complicated, as the goal was to have a relaxed evening that would help people settle in and talk naturally. They were not looking for anything technical, just good wines that would give the group something shared to discuss.
We arrived early to set up the glassware and tasting mats so the kitchen island could become the natural gathering place for everyone once the first glasses were poured. After everyone had something in hand, Jonny explained how the evening would run and made it clear that there were no right or wrong answers, which helped people relax quickly.
Because not everyone knew each other, Jonny introduced one of the tasting games in a way that mixed the group up, pairing guests randomly for a blind tasting challenge so conversations would start without feeling forced. By the end of that round, two guests who had never met before were deep into a friendly debate about Burgundy versus Bordeaux, comparing what they liked and disagreeing in a friendly way.
After the group had worked through all six bottles, Dan said it was exactly the atmosphere they had hoped for when they first talked about hosting the evening.
Several days later, Sarah ordered two cases of the Côtes du Rhône they had tasted, and one of the new neighbours, Phil, booked his own Wine Night In for a dinner party two weeks later, which showed that the evening had done what Dan and Sarah wanted it to do.
Find out more about hosting your own wine tasting in Godalming.
