VIRTUAL TASTINGS - CALL 415-215-9540 TO ORDER & SCHEDULE.
ALL VIRTUAL TASTINGS INCLUDE :
- A pre-set 3 to 6-bottle wine shipment (you can also create your own mix!)
- 1-hour interactive Zoom presentation with co-owner & wine educator Peter Spann at a mutually agreeable day & time
TOP SHELF CHOCOLATE & WINE PAIRING: $145 (minimum of 3 shipments) + tax & shipping
Each wine paired w/a different chocolate truffle shows how food changes and enhances the taste and feel of wine:
- Tempranillo, Lake Family 2016
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cross Creek Vineyard 2014
- GSM 2017 (Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre blend)
- Triple Berry, Port Wine Jelly & Cappuccino truffles
The discussion is the same as in the above tasting but with our best and most exclusive wine, Cabernet Sauvignon Cross Creek Vineyard.
CHOCOLATE & WINE PAIRING 3 REDS: $110 (min. of 4 shipments) + tax & shipping
Each wine paired w/a different chocolate truffle shows how food changes and enhances the taste and feel of wine:
- Tempranillo, Lake Family 2016
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake Family 2016
- GSM 2017 (Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre blend)
- Triple Berry, Port Wine Jelly & Cappuccino truffles
My career in wine started in a French restaurant where we sold wine based on how it complimented a specific dish being ordered and I still love doing this 50 years later. I use chocolate truffles as a fun and delicious way to show how to match intensity of flavor between wines and foods, how food can bring enhance your experience with a wine and how certain foods can magically make the "dry mouth" feel of tannin in a wine magically disappear.
CHOCOLATE & WINE PAIRING 1 WHITE & 2 REDS: $110 (min. of 4 shipments) + tax & shipping
Each wine paired w/a different chocolate truffle shows how food changes and enhances the taste and feel of wine:
- Primavera White Blend 2017
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake Family 2016
- GSM 2017 (Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre blend)
- Coconut, Port Wine Jelly & Cappuccino truffles
My career in wine started in a French restaurant where we sold wine based on how it complimented a specific dish being ordered and I still love doing this 50 years later. I use chocolate truffles as a fun and delicious way to show how to match intensity of flavor between wines and foods, how food can bring enhance your experience with a wine and how certain foods can magically make the "dry mouth" feel of tannin in a wine magically disappear.
RED BORDEAUX VARIETALS: $150 (minimum of 3 shipments) + tax & shipping
Three of our best wines:
- Cabernet Franc 2016 (91% Cab Franc & 9% Petit Verdot)
- Cabernet Sauvignon, 2015 (Bordeaux-style Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot & Petit Verdot blend)
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cross Creek Vineyard 2014 (100% Cab Sauv)
My discussion will be on the family relationship between Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and their differences in aroma, taste and mouth-feel by comparing our Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cross Creek Vineyard (examples of 100% varietal), then I talk about traditional blends in the Bordeaux region while tasting our Cabernet Sauvignon, Mayacamas Range and how blending these varietals together creates a totally different wine than the two pure varietal examples. I also describe what tannin is, both scientifically and real-time feeling in your mouth by comparing the mouth-feel between 100% Cab Franc and 100% Cab Sauv. and how the dry-mouth feel of tannin is mitigated by blending the two together.
THE ART OF THE BLEND: $90 (minimum of 4 shipments) + tax & shipping
1 White plus 2 Red Blends:
- Primavera (Marsanne/Viognier)
- Betsy's Backacher (6-grape red blend)
- GSM 2017 (Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre blend)
VARIETAL WINES: $85 (minimum of 4 shipments) + tax & shipping
Taste 1 white & 2 reds:
Viognier
Tempranillo, Lake Family
Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake Family
In this tasting I discuss the legal definition of a varietal wine in the U.S., how that compares to European wine regions and why most European wines are named with their region or individual property name instead of with the name of a grape variety. Next I discuss how each grape has it’s own distinctive aroma, flavor and mouth-feel, then I talk about the philosophy of food & wine pairing, what foods or occasions each of these wines go best with and why. I also talk about the influence of aromas and flavors of oak barrels in wines and how some wines can be enjoyed more with meals than as “cocktail wines”.
RHONE RANGERS: $95 (minimum of 4 shipments) + tax & shipping
1 White plus 2 Reds from grape varieties originally from France's Rhone Valley:
- Viognier 2018
- Mourvedre 2016
- GSM 2017 (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend)
My discussion during this tasting is on why grape varieties may only be grown in on region in Europe but all throughout our west coast and many other countries, then why we only hear about a dozen or so of the 10,000 different grape varieties that are grown in Europe for fine wine. Next I zero in on the Rhone region, why most grape varieties from here aren’t well-known in the U.S. and what the distinctive characteristics are of each of the 5 grapes used in the wines of this tasting.
MINI TASTING MENU: $160 (minimum of 3 shipments) + tax & shipping
Taste 1 white, 1 Rose & 2 reds:
- Primavera (Marsanne/Viognier blend) 2017
- Rose of Syrah 2017
- Cabernet Franc 2016
- Cabernet Sauvignon Cross Creek 2014
This is very close to our tasting room experience with a range of wines from dry white and dry rose wines to medium and full-bodied reds. I'll discuss how to smell and taste wines and how each grape variety has its own distinctive aroma, flavor and mouth-feel.
FULL TASTING MENU: $220 (No minimum) + tax & shipping
Taste 1 white & 5 reds:
- Primavera (Marsanne/Viognier blend) 2017
- Tempranillo 2016
- GSM 2017
- Cabernet Franc 2016
- Cabernet Sauvignon Mayacamas Range 2015
- S&M (Syrah/Malbec blend)
This is our complete virtual tasting room experience with white and red wines, blends and 100% varietals. I'll discuss how to smell and taste wines and how each grape variety has its own distinctive aroma, flavor and mouth-feel. Then I'll describe tannin; what it feels like, where it comes from, which wines express it anbd how to mitigate the "dry mouth" feeling it can give.
REVIEWS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS
5 stars "This tasting was a family Christmas event. Peter was an incredible virtual host. My goal was to give my daughters an intro to wine and Peter was the perfect fit for us. He has spent a career in the wine and winemaking community, and the results were exactly what I had hoped for. What a great story !! The wines were all excellent and we plan to join the wine club to try all of the Spann wines. I HIGHLY recommend connecting with Peter for your virtual event."
5 stars "Great experience, their wines are excellent...would definitely do it again!"
An A+ Team Event "This was a very worthwhile virtual event. The wine and chocolate were delicious. I'm not a "rookie" wine enthusiast, but I learned a lot of new information. The session was well-constructed with photos, stories, info and discussion. Even post-COVID, I highly recommend this Zoom-based group event for those who can't make the trip to the wine country."
We had a great event "We had a great event with Spann. Peter was a terrific host. The presentation was engaging. The wines we tasted were excellent and the whole team was involved and engaged.
Overall the Virtual Tasting event was a big success."
Fun & informative! "We thoroughly enjoyed our wine tasting with Spann Vineyards, as did all of our guests. Not only was it good tasting but it was so informative in a relaxing atmosphere. We are already looking to do another with friends!"