Reimagining Socialising: Isolation Wine Tasting And Virtual Events

Let’s face it, social distancing was never going to come between people and their wine, so we’ve reimagined socialising at home. 

A recent article by The IWSR stated that as social distancing was fast becoming the new norm, that anything or anyone who can offer ‘a sense of discovery, community and social giving will do well in today’s climate’. 

The IWSR article goes on to say drinks brands “need to radically rethink their key messages when communicating with consumers on social media”. 

We don’t want to see adverts reminding us of the good times we aren’t having. 

We don’t want to see marketing campaigns featuring a life that isn’t available to us at the mo. 

So here at Pull The Cork we hope we’ve hit the right note with you through our social media campaigns – we’re all in this together, and right now, it’s all about surviving isolation. 

Isolation wine tasting

Mark Meek, CEO of IWSR suggests that social content currently needs to be “purposeful in one of three ways: highlighting essential information, supporting the community, or offering entertainment and engagement while consumers are at home”.

And while we’d like to think we’re supporting the community with our offerings, it’s far more likely our virtual wine tastings with Elliot Awin fall under the ‘offering entertainment and engagement while consumers are at home’ category. 

If you aren’t already aware (and we know a lot of you lovely peeps are), we’ve been hosting a series of stay at home events we’ve coined ‘Isolation Tasting’. It’s essentially an excuse to stay in your PJs all day, drinking wine that’s been delivered direct to your front door. 

It’s as simple as can be. 

• To join in, all you have to do is order some top-notch wine (that you might not ordinarily choose to drink), wait for it to be delivered to your home, and then sit back down on your couch (still in your jim-jams), and be all cultured and whatnot from the comfort of your very own living room. You can also join our Discovery club and enjoy a monthly membership. 

We don’t want to toot our trumpet or anything (but toot toot) – we figured PDQ that if the people couldn’t get to the mountain (or the wine warehouse), then the mountain (or the wine warehouse) would just have to come to the people. 

And you lovely lot have lapped it (and our finest selection of isolation tasting wines) up in droves. 

We seriously can’t thank you enough for your participation in these events and your continuing support of our small business in these most trying of times. 

So if you’ve missed any of our events so far, or you’re not sure if they’re for you, let us fill you in: 

The Past

We’ve had a blast so far, in our isolation wine tastings. 

– We’ve had a virtual tour of Payten and Jones Winery (in Australia), meeting Behn and Troy – the brains behind this particular brand. 

– We’ve been well taught by Elliot, the hot wine nerd from our partner supplier, Awin Barratt Siegel. Elliot’s been in front of the camera every weekend now for the last few weekends, closing the knowledge gap between what you’re drinking and why the vintner made it. 

– We’ve met Erni Loosen, the doyen of Riesling; and Kathy & Gary Jordan from Jordan Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa

The Present

17th April

Next up in our isolation series is Elliot’s Isolation Case on the 17th April with special guests Johannes Hasselback (Gunderloch), Lorenz Haas (Allram) & Alexander Stodden (Jean Stodden).

This event, all about the importance of family, features a vegan – friendly selection of wines that for the first time in this wine tasting series, will see each winemaker showcase their magnificent wine alongside Elliot. 

If you’re joining in, you’ll be tasting a 2017 Riesling, a 2018 Pinot Noir and a 2017 Zweigelt. Seriously, this is one you don’t want to miss. 

18th April

On the 18th April we’re hosting a special isolation tasting in partnership with London based fashion brand Rixo. 

Join us as Elliot fronts an isolation tasting takeover on the @Rixo Instagram account, and learn all about the Klippenkop Chenin Blanc 2019, Le Pavillon du Château Beauchêne, Côtes du Rhône and Vina Palaciega Rioja Crianza 2016.

The Future

And just when you think we might be running out of steam, we’ve only gone and cranked it up a notch: 

24th April

We’ve got another tasting on April 24th, this time featuring a 2018 Tindall Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand), 2018 Devil’s Corner Pinot Noir (Australia) and a 2017 Las Carlinas Old Vine Garnacha (Spain). 

1st May

And we’re hosting a rosé night on the 1st May, where we’ll be trying a 2018 Mas de Cadenet Rosé (France), a 2018 Quinta do Portal Rosé (Portugal) and a 2018 Villa Wolf Rosé (Germany). 

Finally, if you’ve loved these wine tastings as much as we have, why let the fun stop when the house arrest lifts? Keep your world getting rocked on a regular basis with one of our wine subscriptions. In the meantime, you can also try Elliot Awin’s virtual wine tastings mixed case, and if you do, share with us your thoughts! 

Pull The Cork – the gift that keeps on giving!