By Laetitia Ouspointour, oenologist, winemaker and founder of L.O Wine
A wine activity at a corporate seminar in Bordeaux is often the last thing that gets added to the agenda… and sometimes the thing everyone is still talking about on the way home. When a company gets in touch, the first question is rarely “which wines?”. It’s usually “when do we fit it in?”.
I run workshops for companies such as Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild and Artémis Domaines, and I’m part of Châteauform’s catalogue of activities. So here’s how I’d approach it, slot by slot.
→ See my corporate wine experiences
Wine activities for seminars: three slots that work
At the end of the working day. After a day of presentations and spreadsheets, everyone’s brain is full (mine included, don’t worry). This is the most natural slot: laptops close, you move to another room or another table, and the day changes gear. The activity becomes a proper break before dinner rather than one more item on the agenda.
On the first evening of a two-day seminar. When teams don’t know each other well, or come from different offices, a wine workshop is a great ice breaker. People taste, compare notes, disagree about whether that’s blackcurrant or cherry… and the conversation takes care of itself. The next morning, the meeting room feels different.
During dinner. If your seminar ends with a meal, the activity can happen at the table, with food and wine pairings built around the menu. And if you’re hosting clients or partners, that’s the moment for something more upscale, such as the caviar, Grands Crus Classés and Champagne tasting.
Which workshop suits your seminar’s goal?
Timing matters, but so does the goal. These are the formats that work best in a seminar setting.
Getting teams to work together: the CréaWine® blending workshop. My blending workshop won an award at the Concours Lépine. After a short introduction to tasting, each team creates its own blend from Bordeaux grape varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, pitches it to the room, and everyone votes. There’s a prize-giving, and every participant leaves with a digital aroma profile. It’s fun, but teams still have to agree, defend their choices and win people over, which is pretty much the point of a seminar. Discover the team building blending workshop
Giving everyone a breather: Painting with wine. We start by tasting 4 wines together, then paint with red wine on a personalised design, for example your company logo or a visual linked to your business. No drawing skills needed, and everyone takes their artwork home. There’s more about it in my article on the wine painting workshop in Bordeaux.
Bringing the non-wine people on board: The wine reveals the cocktail. We taste the selected wines first, then use them as a cocktail base, with herbs, spices and a few mixology techniques. A good pick if part of the team doesn’t drink much wine.
Hosting clients and partners: Caviar, Grands Crus Classés and Champagne. Three pairings built around Aquitaine IGP caviar, with Grands Crus Classés and Champagne. A more premium format, which I run as a Champagne Education Level 4 graduate.
Looking for an overview of all my corporate formats instead (client evenings, incentives, end-of-year parties)? I’ve put them together in my article on corporate wine experiences in Bordeaux.
→ Plan a wine activity for your seminar
Where does the activity take place?
I come to you: your offices, your hotel or seminar venue, or a private space. I mainly work in and around Bordeaux, but I also travel across France and Europe.
If you’d like to be surrounded by vines, the workshop can also take place at Château Vieux Mougnac, where I’m a winemaker. The château also offers accommodation.
You choose the wines: Bordeaux of course, but also Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, the Loire, wines from abroad, organic, natural or older vintages. I build the workshop around them.
Wine activities for corporate seminars: FAQ
Do participants need to know about wine?
Not at all. Every workshop starts with the basics, explained simply. Beginners enjoy it just as much as keen amateurs, and the self-declared experts don’t always win the blending contest.
How many people can take part?
My workshops usually have between 5 and 15 participants, but larger groups are welcome too: I’ll shape the format around your numbers.
How long does the activity last?
Allow about 1.5 hours for Painting with wine, The wine reveals the cocktail or the caviar tasting, and between 1.5 and 2 hours for the CréaWine workshop. Just tell me how much time you have and I’ll fit around your agenda.
How far in advance should we book?
At least 2 weeks before your seminar. The earlier you get in touch, the more choice you’ll have on dates.
Can you come to our seminar venue?
Yes: offices, hotels, seminar venues or private spaces.
Can the workshop be branded for our company?
Yes. The materials can be personalised (logo, visuals, your seminar theme), and so can the wine selection.
How do payment and cancellation work?
Everything is set out in the general conditions of sale, and I’m happy to answer any questions before you book.
Who runs the workshop?
I do. I’m Laetitia Ouspointour: an oenologist, a winemaker at Château Vieux Mougnac, a Concours Lépine award winner with CréaWine and a member of the tasting panel at La Revue du Vin de France.
To get started, just send me your seminar date, the number of participants and the venue. I’ll suggest a format that fits your agenda.
Laetitia Ouspointour is the founder of L.O Wine, an oenologist and a winemaker at Château Vieux Mougnac. She designs wine experiences for companies in Bordeaux and across France.
