Virtual Wine Tastings Are a Way of Life
I was OH SO kindly invited to participate in a virtual wine tasting just a few weeks back hosted by the lovely ladies of Millenials Drink Wine courtesy of Mirabelle Selects and it was the fastest “yes” to any opportunity I’ve ever been presented because hello…. wine, staying home, wearing pajamas, learning about what you’re actually drinking, chillin’ straight from the couch… did I mention wine?
Mirabelle Selects is a wine subscription service created by an Aquidneck Island local entrepreneur that offers their customers the opportunity to purchase curated wine boxes delivered monthly by Point Wine and Spirits right to your doorstep. They also host virtual wine tastings where you join in on a call with other wine lovers to learn everything there is to know about the bottles you have in front of you. I had never heard of a virtual wine tasting until recently and it’s absolutely BRILLIANT especially given this current state of our world. I was able to plop myself onto my couch with my laptop, my vino in front of me, several empty wine glasses (extra, just in case I had too much fun and knocked one over- I did. It broke.) and water because ~ balance ~.
We all hopped onto the call, introduced ourselves, then got right to it. Wine by wine we went. To be quite honest, I can’t remember the order of wines we tried (whoops! I’m only human) so we’ll start with the rosé because this rosé that I tried courtesy of Mirabelle Selects is the best rosé I have honestly ever had: Castell d'Age, Penedès, Fragments Rosat 2019. Not to mention, the bottle’s packaging makes for only the best Instagram photos (see above). We discussed which foods pair nicely with each wine and contributed our own personal opinions as well. Between wines we participated in trivia questions provided by our hosts, Millenials Drink Wine, which kept the tasting even more engaging and fun than it already was.
So onto the white wine we went: Bodega Cuatro Rayas, Rueda, Verdejo 2019. One thing about this wine tasting experience that I particularly enjoyed was being pulled away from the typical whites, reds and rosés that I always gravitate towards simply because I’m comfortable with them. Trying new wines is such an exciting experience and really can encourage you to appreciate all of the many ways wines around the world are created simply for us to sip and enjoy! If I had seen this white wine in the liquor store I probably wouldn’t have purchased it because it wasn’t a wine that I commonly saw on the shelves like the typical Kendall Jackson or La Crema (no hate against them, I still enjoy them regularly), but overall it’s just fun to dip into something different!
Please Note: These wine glasses are NOT from Boom Boom Room. I just really love that establishment with my whole heart so my mom custom made a set of them for me for Christmas (lmao).
The third and final wine we all sipped/enjoyed/guzzled during this wine tasting was Castell d’Age, Penedès, Fragments Red 2019. I am usually not a red wine lover, however this is a relationship I am working on as I continue to broaden my palette. I really enjoyed this red! At the very end of the tasting we all voted which wines took the first, second, and third places in our books. For me it was easy- rosé all day baby, then the lovely white and the red taking the third spot- however, I would willingly drink and enjoy any and all of them if I was presented with them again.
Some of the other participants in the wine tasting had a friend or significant other with them, but this is absolutely something I had no problem doing alone. I’m not sure the comfortability level I am at to physically GO to a wine tasting by myself so I am really happy that this is something I can do again in the comfort of my own home. One of the best takeaways from this experience apart from everything that I learned was really being able to associate these wines with this memory. Just like certain fragrances and scents can remind you of a certain memory, these wines will always take me back to my first virtual wine tasting experience.
