Frequently Asked Questions
OF THE FIRST KIND: PRACTICAL
What's included in the price of the Experience?
The price includes the tasting of a flight composed of a minimum of 6 wines, some food bites for pairing (not all wines may have a food pairing), and the participation to the guided tasting for a session of approximately 90 minutes.
Does the ticket include food like dinner?
No. Some food is served to match wines and enjoy the pairings. It can range from cheese and cold cuts, finger food, assorted bakery, pickled vegetables, olives, terrines, oysters or shellfish, etc. But it’s not dinner!
Can I bring a non-drinking guest for free, or minors?
Unfortunately no. All guests have to take part in the experience, and be 18+.
What's the serving size of a tasting?
The standard at tasting events is 75-90ml (2-3 oz) per person per wine.
IS THE EXPERIENCE IN ENGLISH ONLY ?
Yes, at the moment we offer Experiences in English only.
Can I get a refill?
Sure, we’re happy to offer a refill once all people in the group are served, with the wine that remains in the open bottle. We won’t bring them back home half full!
Frequently Asked Questions
of THE SECOND KIND: EXPECTATIONS
What level of wine expertise is required to enjoy the tasting?
The “Classic Experience” can be enjoyed by anyone who has a passing interest in wine. We expect guests to participate in the event and take part in the group discussion, but we’ll use plain English and explain some wine lingo in the process.
“Aficionado” and “Mamma Mia” events are also approachable by everyone. The difference is in the quality (and price) of wines, which will deserve a more detailed and technical tasting.
What's the normal sequence of wines in a flight?
Most wine flights will be different and unique. But generally speaking we’ll have one sparkling wine, two still white wines, two reds and a sweet or fortified wine.
Do we taste the wines blind?
Yes. Wait, not as in “blindfolded”. Bottles are covered with a numbered bottle sock, so the tasting is not influenced by labels and cliches about a certain wine. Then the wine is revealed so we can connect the tasting notes with it, and -ideally- remember it in the future . For “Mamma Mia” special tastings with extra rare wines the lineup is published.
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So, is it a wine lesson?
No. We call it an “experience” because it’s not a lesson. But it’s not a self-serve wine party either! Your host will do most of the talk, and his role will not be limited to presenting the wine as a sommelier in a restaurant. It’s an interactive evening around wine. Everyone can be as active or passive as preferred. The goal is to have fun and enjoy the wines.
Do we drink or spit? Will I get drunk if I don't spit?
Your choice. Pro wine critics would not survive if they weren’t spitting all the samples they try on any given day. So we provide spittoons for those who prefer to stay sober like pros. If you drink, just note that the total of wine served during the experience is approximately three full glasses per person, without a typical food intake, so you can definitely feel tipsy when it’s over, and you’ll be way over the Maltese limit for driving.
What's the etiquette for a wine tasting event?
Informal and sober (at arrival). There’ll be a lot of sniffing. We kindly ask our guests to be generous with deodorant but refrain from showering in perfume, or we’ll have tasting notes that say that a great pinot noir smells of your Dior Farenheit (or worse).
What kind of wines can we expect to taste?
That’s a great question. Look. Wines range in quality from poison to art, but it’s also a matter of availability and authenticity.
We serve wines that represent a benchmark in their denomination, wines that express the typical aromas and flavours of the grape, the region or the winemaking style. If we present a Red Etna from Sicily it will be a quintessential Red Etna. If it’s a Syrah from northern Rhone it will have plenty of that signature crushed black pepper aroma tingling the nose. Believe me, blind tasting is already challenging enough: we stick to the classics of their genre.
Our philosophy is that we avoid extremes. We won’t serve wines from mass market producers you can find at your local supermarket, but we’ll also avoid quirky experimental bottles you’re unlikely to find again for sale on Earth.
We’ll taste good stuff. Quality bottles from top winemakers that you’ll be able to order from a good online site and that you’ll sometimes find in a well-crafted list of a restaurant. Bottles worth taking note of and buying again.
In terms of regions, expect to taste wine from the Old World. Which means mostly France, Italy and Spain. Sometimes Portugal, Germany, Austria, Greece and Hungary.
Why? Well, the Experiences are open to tourists and visitors in Malta, and they generally prefer to try Mediterranean wines. And anyway, these are the foundations of a wine education.
Why is the experience so expensive? I can try some wines by the glass in a bar for the same price.
Yes perhaps you can. Feel free to do so! But let’s see it the other way around: you can get the experience for the same price of a few glasses of random wine in a bar. With us you pay for the wine, the extra fun is free.
Is it all about guessing what wine it's in the glass?
No. I mean. Everyone is welcome to play the game, but shooting random darts at the wall hoping to hit the bull is not very fun to do, and sometimes embarrassing to watch. Relax. The Experience is 90 minutes of paying attention to all of your senses while you taste great wine.
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Can you do Private events, groups, corporate tastings?
Sure! Feel free to reach out with your requirements at somm@winetastingmalta.com
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