High-tech Wine Tasting

Dom Pérignon

Welcome to the age of the virtual tasting. Spirits and wine tastings aren’t exclusive anymore — in fact, anyone with a web connection can host them. We took advantage of this new trend and sat down (via video conference) with Vincent Chaperon, the 33-year-old right hand to the chef de cave of Dom Pérignon, to enjoy some fine champagne. The precocious oenologist signed on with Dom five years ago, after studying in France, launching his winemaking career in Chile and refining his palate with Moët & Chandon. If you happen to have a 2000 Dom Pérignon in the cellar — and really, who doesn’t? — you can join us for a taste of the future by following along with our video below as Vincent  teaches us how to appreciate three of his favourite vintages. Cheers!

Bonny Doon Vineyard

It was only a matter of time before Bonny Doon’s tastings got radical. Known for pushing boundaries with their biodynamically farmed fruit and unconventional labels like Chuck House’s flying-saucer-and-alien-festooned Le Cigare Volant, the Californian vineyard is now using Skype for online wine-tastings. Even Oprah got in on the action last June, conducting a virtual tasting on The Oprah Winfrey Show.  

bonnydoonvineyard.com

Macallan Highland

These single-malt-Scotch makers are creating a spirited buzz on Twitter. New York’s eighty one restaurant hosted a Twitter tasting party filled with a new gen­eration of whisky drinkers pairing Macallan 15 Fine Oak with rib-eye and piquillo marrow marmalade. A screen projected the live #macallan stream on the wall so participants on site could compare their tweets with other aficionados.

themacallan.com

Stag’s Hollow

At the complimentary wine tastings offered at this South Okanagan mountainside winery – and select local wine stores and restaurants across B.C. and Alberta – wines are drunk and reactions posted immediately online. Thanks to Twitter, a virtual tasting room is created on the web to allow fans of Stag’s Hollow to share tasting notes on, say, its 2007 Simply Noir or the 2006 Estate Merlot, from anywhere in the world.  

stagshollowwinery.com

Tuxedo provided by Waxman. waxman.ca

Photos by Bonny Doon Vineyard (Le Cigare Volant); Macallan Highland (Macallan 15 Fine Oak)