{"title":"Tastings","description":"Check here for our upcoming ticketed tastings.","products":[{"product_id":"the-big-tasting-saturday-14th-november-2026","title":"The Big Tasting: Saturday 14th November 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003eWord gets around. Our Big Tasting, a highlight of both summer and the festive season, has become something of a fixture in the local calendar, remembered as much for its generous spread of cheese and charcuterie as for the wines. It's mentioned fondly at dinner parties, discussed at length on the top deck of the bus, and, we're told, drawing curious wine lovers from well beyond the neighbourhood. We're rather flattered, and trying not to let it go to our heads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, seeing as our guests liked this format more, we're hosting it on a \u003cstrong\u003eSaturday in two relaxed sessions\u003c\/strong\u003e. That means more room to swirl, sip and nibble in comfort, fewer elbows in your ribs, and \u003cstrong\u003eabsolutely no need to arm-wrestle a stranger for the last bit of Comté\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy come?\u003c\/strong\u003e Because Christmas is coming, and your wine rack may be looking a little… optimistic. This is your chance to explore new bottles, broaden your palate, and stock your cellar at great prices before the in-laws arrive. Taste first, buy with confidence, and become the household hero who \"just knows about wine.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's poured?\u003c\/strong\u003e Your favourite local vintners will be there, as ever, joined by some very exciting guests we're dying to tell you about. But we won't. Not yet. The full line-up of 30+ wines, as well as some spirits, will be revealed in \u003cstrong\u003elate October\u003c\/strong\u003e, so keep your eyes peeled and your corkscrew polished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate\u003c\/strong\u003e: Saturday, 14th of November\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSessions\u003c\/strong\u003e: Choose between \u003cstrong\u003e2:30pm to 4:00pm\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e4:30pm to 6pm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVenue\u003c\/strong\u003e: Christ Church Highbury Community Centre, \u003cspan\u003eN5 1SA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTickets\u003c\/strong\u003e: £20 per person, \u003cstrong\u003erefunded if you buy 6 bottles of wine\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eTickets tend to vanish faster than a cheeseboard at a Christmas lunch table, so do book early. Festive jumpers optional.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"James Nicholson Wine Limited","offers":[{"title":"2:30pm until 4:00pm","offer_id":57323332043130,"sku":"18839","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"4:30pm until 6:00pm","offer_id":57323332075898,"sku":"18840","price":20.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0516\/7146\/6141\/files\/BigTastingWinterWineTicket.png?v=1791129331"},{"product_id":"pyramid-valley-tasting","title":"Meet the Winemaker: Pyramid Valley with Steve Smith MW - Wednesday 4th November 2026","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis year, Pyramid Valley and its sister estate Smith \u0026amp; Sheth did something few producers would dare. They put their Chardonnays, served blind, against the greatest names in white burgundy, including Leflaive, Raveneau and Comtes Lafon, with some bottles costing up to 28 times more. Thirteen Masters of Wine and four Master Sommeliers tasted in Christchurch, London and Burgundy itself, and New Zealand took the top spot in three of the four flights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe man behind the challenge is Steve Smith, one of New Zealand's few Masters of Wine. It isn't his first time taking on France: having founded Craggy Range, he pitted Hawke's Bay reds against Bordeaux's first growths in 2009. Few people have done more to prove New Zealand is far more than Sauvignon Blanc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ePyramid Valley was planted in 2000 by Mike and Claudia Weersing, who spent 15 years searching the world for the right site before settling on the limestone and clay slopes of Waikari in North Canterbury. Farmed biodynamically, it became one of New Zealand's most admired estates, and in 2017 Steve bought it with Brian Sheth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eNow Steve joins us to pour six wines, opening with two contestants from that Burgundy vs New Zealand challenge. The first, Low Burn Estate Chardonnay 2024, topped its flight ahead of grand cru Chablis from Louis Jadot and Domaine William Fèvre, a flight in which even Jancis Robinson MW couldn't identify a single wine's origin. Our second pour, Kererū Road Chardonnay 2024, faced village Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault in the opening flight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe rest of the evening goes beyond Chardonnay, with Orange 2023 and three Pinot Noirs: Snakes Tongue 2024, Low Burn Estate 2024 and the Pyramid Valley 2021, showing how these wines evolve in bottle. With both a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir from Low Burn, we will explore one Central Otago site through two grapes. Expect sharp insight into site, farming and what separates great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWhat you will taste:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePyramid Valley Hawke's Bay Kereru Road Chardonnay 2024 - £43\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePyramid Valley Central Otago Low Burn Estate Chardonnay 2024 - £47\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePyramid Valley North Canterbury Orange 2023 - £39.50\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePyramid Valley North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2021 - £45\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePyramid Valley Central Otago Low Burn Estate Pinot Noir 2024 - £47\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePyramid Valley Central Otago Snake's Tongue Pinot Noir 2024 - £99\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate\u003c\/strong\u003e: Wednesday 4th of November\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSessions\u003c\/strong\u003e: Choose between 6:30pm to 7:15pm and 7:30pm to 8:15pm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVenue\u003c\/strong\u003e: Highbury Vintners, N5 1UA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTickets\u003c\/strong\u003e: £15 per person, exclusive 15% on a mix of three wines on show.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"James Nicholson Wine Limited","offers":[{"title":"6:30pm until 7:15pm","offer_id":57323413012858,"sku":"18841","price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"7:30pm until 8:15pm","offer_id":57323413045626,"sku":"18842","price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0516\/7146\/6141\/files\/PyramidValleyTastingTicket_6d0c8f42-9953-4607-b700-c647a2ea2a8e.png?v=1791133167"}],"url":"https:\/\/highburyvintners.co.uk\/collections\/tastings\/15-20.oembed","provider":"Highbury Vintners","version":"1.0","type":"link"}