Robert and Claire wanted to celebrate their son Tom’s graduation, but instead of booking a restaurant they chose to organise a surprise wine tasting at their family home in Horsham in West Sussex, also inviting Tom’s girlfriend Ellie, three close university friends who had graduated at the same time, both sets of grandparents, two aunts and uncles, and a family friend who had watched him grow up. The idea was to bring everyone together in one place and create something personal to the family.
Robert arranged everything in advance without telling Tom, asking for sparkling wine at the start so there could be a proper toast once the surprise was revealed, followed by three whites and four reds to suit the group. Claire mentioned beforehand that the grandparents were not keen on red wine, so one of the reds was swapped for an extra white.
We arrived early to set up the glassware and tasting mats in the dining area while Tom was still out, so the room was ready before the guests arrived. Once everyone had a glass in hand and the initial reaction had settled, Jonny explained how the evening would work. He encouraged people to say what they thought without worrying about sounding knowledgeable.
Tom and his friends had expected a quiet family meal, but once the first tasting game began, they quickly became the most competitive people in the room. But Tom’s grandfather ended up outscoring the younger guests.
The mix of ages worked well because the format allowed people in their twenties and people in their seventies to take part on equal terms.
A few days after the event, Robert ordered four bottles of the Picpoul de Pinet from the tasting, and Tom’s friend Marcus asked about booking his own Wine Night In for a house party in Guildford where he is now working, which suggested that the evening had left a nice impression.
Find out more about hosting your own wine tasting in Horsham.
