In any other year, by 1 September, the Destineers would be gearing up to throw a Joburg Wine Club Spring soiree of epic proportions. But, alas, it’s 2020 and we’re still under COVID-19 lockdown, albeit slightly less stringent than where we started back in March.

There’s no denying that the pandemic has presented brands that are built around wine, events and social interaction, such as Joburg Wine Club, with a particular challenge. Virtual wine events have certainly gained popularity over the past few months, but many lack the chutzpah of a real-life tasting experience. During the Future of Wine Tourism webinar we hosted back in May, this was a concern many of our panellists raised – how exactly does a wine brand host a truly engaging and enjoyable virtual event?

Our wine tribe knows we set the bar high when it comes to throwing wine parties and a drab online tasting just won’t work for us. So, after laying low for a few months and hatching some truly exciting plans, Joburg Wine Club is emerging from its lockdown hiatus with a bang!

Partnering with Creation Wines and KayaFM, we’re proud to bring a first of its kind interactive online wine tasting experience to the living rooms of wine-lovers all across South Africa via Zoom Webinar and Instagram Live.

The What’s Wrong with Groovin’: A Virtual Wine Experience event takes place on Sunday 20 September from 16:00 to 18:00 and is built around the Creation Alchemy Tasting Kit. A special spring soundtrack has also been created by KayaFM’s DJ Kenzhero & Tha_Muzik for the afternoon. It’s the perfect excuse to get romantic or gather a few friends for a girl’s night in.

Appropriately, the party’s theme is Alchemy. Alchemy is the medieval forerunner of chemistry, concerned with the transmutation of matter, in particular with attempts to convert base metals into gold. It also means a seemingly magical process of transformation or creation, so it should give our tribe plenty of inspiration to dress up, dust off their bling and shake off the lockdown blues.

What makes this event especially enticing is the fact that Joburg Wine Club fans and friends from all corners of South Africa will be able to join in on the fun! Tickets are R550 and include the tasting kit for two people, delivery and special deals on Creation wines.

In true Joburg Wine Club fashion, this event is all about reuniting wine-lovers over spectacular South African wine and delicious food, paired with the best local music and hottest fashion.

Each kit can be shared between two people and comprises:

· 6 x 100 ml samples of award-winning Creation wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah Grenache and Grenache Noir Viognier
· Food samples to accompany each wine
· The Creation Flavour Wheel
· The Creation Tasting Chart

Over the next few weeks, the Joburg Wine Club social media feeds will be buzzing in the build-up to and anticipation for the event. We will also be sharing on Instagram Live on the day and encouraging guests to do the same – participation and fashionable flair will be rewarded with special prizes. There will, in fact, be three fabulous giveaways before, during and after the event.

We’d like to do a big shout out to our friend and talented designer and photographer, Katlego Mamabolo, for our gorgeous event artwork that captures all the seduction of Spring so beautifully. She, along with a few other friends of Joburg Wine Club, will be joining us on screen on the day to chat about her venture into fashion and design and her love affair with wine. 

While we are raring to throw a real-life Joburg Wine Club bash again as soon as we can, we’re excited about the addition of online eventing. This is just the beginning!

Ticket sales close on Thursday 10 September to allow for delivery of the Creation tasting kits. We’re expecting tickets to fly superfast, so get yours today!