One of the exciting features of this year’s #EWBC Digital Wine Communications Conference in Izmir (which I help to organise) will be the “Grand Terroir Tasting“. Tim Atkin MW and Charles Metcalfe will lead all participants through wines from a number of countries in the region, making it a unique opportunity to learn about wines from the birthplace of wine itself – the area around Turkey, Georgia, Lebanon and other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

As part of this planning process, I’m organising a selection tasting here in London on Monday, which means there will be over 40 bottles from Turkey, Georgia and Lebanon opened for the exercise … and then just WAITING to be tasted.

I cannot, in all conscience, throw such a fantastic line-up down the drain after just two or three tastes, so I’m calling wine fans, especially the more adventurous ones, to come along and taste them while you can! No charge.

One of the most exciting wine shops in London, The Sampler in South Kensington, will be our venue for the tasting – it seemed particularly appropriate. If you pop in to the shop opposite the South Kensington tube station on Monday, 8th October 2012 any time after 6pm, and give the staff the special secret wink & nod (or you can simply ask), they will direct you to the upstairs tasting room to help yourself.

There’s no agenda here. There’s no marketing or promotion happening. We simply have some wines open and I want to make them available to my friends and fellow wine enthusiasts.

And if this sounds exciting, do check out the EWBC conference details – there are still places left. (Oh, and if you ARE already coming to the EWBC, you might want to wait for the full event in Izmir instead of this preview)

Simple rules:

• Tasting sample pours only, please! Let others share the experience.
• One glass per person (I have to pay for the washing up!)
• Once the bottle is finished, it is finished.
• First come, first served.
• If you like something, tell your friends that there are great wines from places outside of the usual suspects
• Take a look around The Sampler’s shelves, and maybe try some of their wines in the Enomatic machines. (They often have some fabulous aged Rioja wines available to buy & taste)
• Have fun!

I’ll see you there!