Private Tastings

Organising a special occasion or birthday celebration? Looking for a sophisticated hen or stag party activity? Or just a fun way to entertain your friends?

Our 2-hour private wine tastings are hosted by experienced members of the Manchester Wine School team, all of whom love to talk about wine in a relaxed and informative way, and can adapt their presentations to any and every type of audience. And because we are an independent wine educator that does not sell wine, there’s no pressure to buy anything at the end.

You and your guests will sample at least six different wines at the event. We can include an introductory session on how to taste wine, explained in a no-nonsense, practical way. If you’d like to add in a bottle of champagne to give the occasion an extra sparkle, just let us know.

If you’d prefer the tasting to feature sparkling wines only, we’ll happily put together one featuring high-quality cava, prosecco, champagne and more besides. Or if gin is more your taste, we can organise a tasting focusing on Manchester distilleries, in which you’ll learn about the history of this fascinating drink, explore the botanicals used in its production and sample a variety of styles.

Our tastings are fun and relaxed events, and we often include a “Quaffer’s Quiz” to bring out people’s competitive edge. It’s a wine quiz where novices have just as much chance as wine enthusiast of getting the right answer. For example, do you know why the crew on Russian submarines are sometimes served red wine? Why Mary Queen of Scots bathed in white wine? Or which wine sediment was used in ancient times?

Venue

Our private wine tastings can be hosted in the comfort of your own home, or at a location of your choice. We can recommend great venues in Manchester to suit any party size or budget.

Packages

Prices start from as little as £35 per person* and for those looking for something more special, we can offer events hosted by our Director, Simon Woods. Simon spent several years writing about wine, during which he was editor of the Which? Wine Guide and a columnist for the Financial Times. He’s visited most of the world’s wine-producing regions, and his books include the award-winning I Don’t Know Much About Wine But I Know What I Like.

If you’re interested in talking to us about your event, please get in touch below, or email info@manchesterwineschool.com.

*Price based on a party of 30 people sampling six wines costing around £12 per bottle.