PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with Grant Burge to help you host an incred at-home wine tasting.
There are two things you’re absolutely guaranteed to see plastered all over your Instagram stories as soon as winter hits in Australia: folks traipsing around Europe and others heading to a vineyard for a cosy, weekend getaway.
If you’ve been struck with a case of Cossie Livs disease this year, firstly, same. And secondly, you have two options. You can either watch these IG stories turning green with envy OR choose to make do with what you’ve got and have a little bit of homemade fun.
If you’re opting for homemade fun, good for you — a positive queen! We love making do. While you might not be able to recreate a stunning turquoise beach on the Amalfi coast in your squishy inner-west apartment, you can do an at-home wine tasting — so here’s how to nail one.
Cop Some Yummy Vino
You obviously need a bunch of wine at a wine tasting. Duh. While you might not have barrels of freshly made vino in your garage, you do have a good pal named Dan who can help out. (Your friend is Dan Murphy’s, if you haven’t picked that up yet). In fact, you can literally buy a slab of five Barossa Ink Shiraz and one Midnight Ink Shiraz bottles for $70. $70!!!!! For all that vino. Crazy, crazy, times.
It’s All About The Ambience, Baby
Going to a vineyard for a weekend away is 10% about the actual wine you’ll taste and 90% about the vibe. So, if you’re hosting an at-home tasting, put your whole ussy into making your space the most ambient, cosy, whimsical setting ever.
Get to Kmart and buy those fairy lights!!! Heck, buy some Pinterest-esque wine cups and as many shabby-chic, rustic serving boards as you can too. Get pillows, bean bags, candles — anything that’s going to make the experience as comfy as possible. Get your coolest friend to make a playlist that literally makes the room feel like a warm hug, and Bob’s your uncle.
Snacks Are Literally Everything
I know at vineyard wine tastings they try to give you a rundown of the ‘correct’ food to have with each wine but I say throw all of that knowledge out the window. Prepare a bunch of delish snacks that are suited to the taste of you and your pals — whether you’re charcuterie board girlies or not.
If you’re really doing things on a budget, I would highly suggest going to the Lord’s Playground AKA Aldi and raiding their frozen food aisle. Then, your best friend, the air fryer (or oven), does all the work and you get to relax.
Honestly, this is all sounds way more fun than heading to the Barossa. And cheaper!! Which is the biggest win of them all. Also, if a feud breaks out between people in the group, you don’t have to spend another awkward 24hrs together, they can just Uber home at the end of the night. Woo.