Who we are
With 30+ years of beverage experience between them, Alison & Tom are perfectly positioned to talk you through how to pick the perfect pint, tell your gins from your genevers or navigate a restaurant wine list (and no, it’s not quite as easy as “order the second one on the list”)
At The Grape Society, you’ll have the chance to sample first-rate wine and full-bodied spirits in the company of knowledgeable experts and fellow booze enthusiast. But novices need not be put off. These sessions cater to all.
Discussions are casual and conversational so you won’t find any pretentious wine speak or pompous gin jargon here. The Grape Society make alcohol education as welcoming and fun as can be and quench the thirst of all inquisitive palates.
Alison Taffs
Always looking forward to trying something new and delicious, Alison has had a brilliant time learning to be a beer sommelier, training with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and blending wines in France and Italy. A hugely enthusiastic drinks educator, Alison loves watching peoples’ reaction the first time they taste a bone dry sherry.
Tom Rayfox
Tom’s mission it to taste “all of the things” and he shoehorns his love of alcohol into every job he’s had. From creating cocktails for restaurants to writing a chapter for Luke Thomas’ book. Tom’s love of the unusual has lead him to develop a passion for natural wine, and he delights in squeezing these in tastings and counting the converted.
What We Do
Ideal for breaking the ice at company and networking events
A great way to add fun, interest and impact to a client or customer occasion
Brilliant team building and reward for your staff
We offer a bespoke tutored tasting experience designed around your needs
Gin: from Mothers Ruin to Craft Revolution
Your group will get a comprehensive and fun tutored tasting to introduce the amazing ,colourful history and flavours of that most quintessentially English spirit. From Danish Jenever all the way to the cutting edge of modern gin, we have options from 4-10 gins with focus on a wide variety of styles and stories.
Distinguished Drams: an introduction to whisky
This popular tasting can be designed to suit your group: from beginners to whisky fans, we love to introduce everyone to everything from single malts, Irish Pot Still Whiskey, cask strength to the new cool boutique blends and grains. US Whiskey can be introduced too.
Blind Bubbles Tasting Session: Everyone loves bubbles
Either for fun or for prizes, we can divide your guests into small groups and lead them through a selection of mystery sparkling wines:Everythinf from grand Marc to growers Champagnes, Prosecco’s, Cremants and English Sparklers. Great for getting conversation flowing, the teams are asked to describe, rate and then guess the identity of the wines they are tasing…ahead of the big reveal. We have plenty of options for different lengths and costs for your event, this is great for groups of 10 to 100.
We have had great feedback from our Members who thoroughly enjoyed the evening and we hope you did too. We thank you for making this evening a memorable one.
Tom and Alison came and ran a tasting session in our offices for the senior management team. It was a great evening which was as fun as it was informative. We came away happy and full of little facts to impress people at home!
