Wine Events for Autumn; Tasting Time with Three Men & Tesco

Sadly the Indian summer we had all hoped and prayed for hasn't come yet, and instead, we're trying to slow down time so that it doesn't get dark at 7pm and we don't have to wear a coat on the way to work.

It's officially autumn and time to abandon the BBQ and the picnic basket and head indoors. But indoors doesn't mean boring - it means checking out all manner of fabulous events around the UK. Whether you're a foodie, a wino, a spirits fiend or a bit of both, there is bound to be an event - somewhere in England - to suit you.

As we're all in the industry here at Vinspire, we're no strangers to wine fairs and tastings - a great way to try wines you might not otherwise get to taste ("too expensive""they don't sell it at my local") and for minimal cost (the price of a ticket vs the number of wines on show = great value for money!). I guarantee you will not be disappointed and will find at least one wine, if not more, which comes as a complete shock and will become your new number one.

It's likely you'll start the day with a responsible attitude - "After every wine we'll drink some water" - and perhaps even mark in your showguide which wines you'll taste first. Half an hour in, following a lengthy discussion about the sustainability of a biodynamic vineyard and having tasted every wine on the first stand, the attitude starts to change..."Oooh a vintage Champagne at HOW much a bottle? We have to try it". It's about experimenting, having fun, trying new things - especially those which you can't normally afford!

Coming up over the next few months you've got the chance to get involved at any number of wine events around the UK, but for variation, range and good fun, here's where we'll be headed in the next few weeks...


The Three Wine Men - Olly Smith, Oz Clarke and Tim Atkin - want to get everyone in the country tasting, experiencing and enjoying new wines as well as discovering different foods. These guys all love wine, they all love talking about win, and they love sharing their knowledge.

With four events still on their calendar, take the chance to snap up a couple of tickets for you and some friends. There's a host of masterclasses throughout the day, from an introduction to wine through to cheese and wine matching. You can pick up tickets on the Three Wine Men website for any of their last four events of the year;

28th & 29th September - The International Centre in Harrogate
5th & 6th October - The Parc Hotel in Cardiff
23rd & 24th November - Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
7th & 8th December - Church House in Westminster, London

Celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year, the Tesco Wine Fairs are a fun day out – whatever your level of wine knowledge. You can taste from over 250 wines, from over 14 different countries, all under one roof. With successes in Manchester and Birmingham already under their belt this year, the team still have three fairs on their calendar;

5th & 6th October - Westminster, London
12th & 13th October - Bristol
26th & 27th October - Edinburgh

With tickets ranging from £6-12 the Tesco Wine Fair website, and 4-5 hours to taste wine, value for money couldn't be better. With Tesco wine team staff on hand to help out as well as representatives from well-known brands, wine personality Joe Wadsack leading the popular 'Wine Walks', along with workshops by wine team members, it's the place to go if you want to learn a little more about the wine on the supermarket shelves.  Great fun with a group of friends, check out the W Factor stand for your chance to be the face of the Tesco Wine Fair - trust me, it seems like a good idea as the day draws to a close!

Suddenly the idea of spending a weekend indoors doesn't lack appeal, but then again, does it ever when wine is involved?

Hope to see you there folks!

Any wine events near you that you've pencilled into the calendar? Let us know via our Facebook or Twitter pages - we'd love to check them out!