Giles and Sam wanted to do something properly thoughtful for their studio team at the end of the year. Not a rushed drink after work. Not a Christmas card on everyone’s desk. Something that felt personal, considered and actually worth staying for after a long run of client projects. They booked Wine Night In for ten people at their own studio in Southampton, including Giles, Sam and the full team. The plan was simple. Finish work, clear the desks, bring in the wine and food, and turn the studio into somewhere the team could relax for the evening.
Because the studio itself had such a strong sense of style, Giles and Sam wanted the wine to feel considered too. They asked Jonny for three reds and three whites, and they specifically wanted him to talk through each bottle properly rather than rushing through the tasting. That worked well for this group. The team were used to thinking about detail, design, colour and texture every day, so they naturally enjoyed having someone explain what they were tasting and why each wine had been chosen.
LazeeGraze charcuterie boards were ordered to go alongside the wines, which helped the evening feel relaxed without losing that sense of care. It was still a thank you from the business owners, but it did not feel corporate or stiff. The best moment came from the studio’s large mood board wall. The team used it every day for client projects, usually covered with fabric swatches, colour palettes and visual references.
At one point during the evening, Jonny asked everyone to pick a word to describe the wine they were tasting and write it on a Post-it for the wall. By the end of the night, the mood board was covered in tasting notes alongside the usual studio materials. Some were useful. Some were wildly questionable. A few were clearly written after people had stopped trying to sound sensible. Sam said it was the best the wall had ever looked.
The evening did what Giles and Sam had hoped it would do. It gave the team time together without the pressure of work, and it showed appreciation in a way that felt warm rather than forced. Giles ordered a case of the Rising River Merlot the following week, and Sam has already been in touch with Wine Night In about booking again for the studio’s tenth anniversary next year.
For a team thank you, a private wine tasting can work really well because it feels generous without being over the top. The host brings the structure, the wine gives everyone something to talk about, and the whole evening can happen in a familiar space without needing to book a restaurant or formal venue.
