Have you ever wondered what it’s like to Host a Traveling Vineyard wine tasting? Introducing Tasting Stories from Traveling Vineyard, where we bring you inside a real wine tasting party and tell you what made the event memorable and fun for the Host and their Guests! Tasting Stories are inspired by Five Star reviews submitted by real Hosts.
PJs, wine and popcorn. That’s what convinced Shelly Brey to host a Traveling Vineyard wine tasting at her home in Columbus, Ohio. Shelly had attended a wine tasting event hosted by her friend, Tasha, and that’s where she met Wine Guide Jessica Kent. At the wine tasting, Shelly says she discovered that a Traveling Vineyard party was not like the typical direct selling party—it was engaging, educational and FUN.
“I learned so much about wine I never knew,” Shelly says. “How to make sure it’s not bad, how to differentiate between full body, and the best tools to use with different kinds of wines. All of this information without it being boring.”
Shelly had a feeling that her friends would enjoy the Traveling Vineyard experience, as well. When she looked at Jessica’s list of suggested wine tasting themes and saw “PJs and Popcorn,” she was ready to book her own party!
“I chose ‘PJs and Popcorn’ because those are two of my absolute favorite things—I was excited to see how we could pair different wines with popcorn. My goal whenever I have an event is for people to be comfortable, and making everyone wear PJs seemed like the best way to do this.”
Wine Guide Jessica Kent, a Three-Star Leader who launched her Traveling Vineyard business in 2015, says the “PJs and Popcorn” theme is popular.
At Shelly’s wine tasting, her eight Guests enjoyed five different kinds of popcorn: spicy jalapeno, kettle corn, garlic ranch, white cheddar and caramel corn. Jessica paired each variety with Traveling Vineyard wines.
Shelly Brey
“It’s a fun way to get people together, learn some new things and have a good time. The wine is affordable and delicious.”
Shelly’s Guests made the event a lot of fun, Jessica says. One even came in foam rollers and a bathrobe. Shelly attributes the success of the event to Jessica’s attentiveness, friendliness and presentation skills.
“Jessica has always been amazing! She is fun to talk to. She seems like just one of your girlfriends, telling you about wine,” Shelly says. “She is energetic and fun and fits into my circle of friends so well.”
Jessica feels the same way about Shelly and her fun-loving group of friends. “They stayed engaged, asked questions, commented. I had no problem holding their attention even with the fun conversations going on.”
Shelly’s favorite part of the wine tasting was “being able to make a wine lover out of some of my friends … My friends and family LOVED this event.”
A wine tasting party, she says, is different from your typical direct sales party because there is always something new and valuable to learn about wine. The wine she bought that night? Already gone. Among the group, four more tastings were booked with Jessica that night.
“It’s a fun way to get people together, learn some new things and have a good time. The wine is affordable and delicious … I’m already looking forward to the next one.”
If you’re interested in a “PJs and Popcorn” wine night with your friends, contact your Wine Guide and schedule your in-home wine tasting. If you’ve never hosted with us and you’re ready to meet your new Traveling Vineyard wine bestie, stop by our Host page and read our rave reviews and sign up to connect with a Wine Guide near you!