Thank you for supporting Southwestern Vermont Health Care by bidding on a wine tasting with couch + cork. You’ve taken the first step toward a memory-making experience to share with friends, family, colleagues or anyone else you choose.

Your bid grants you the choice of one of three tastings, just pick the one you’d like and then use the contact form at the bottom of the page to get in touch and book your tasting. You can also call, text or email us with any questions or to book your event.

We provide both in-person (within 1 hr of Bennington, VT) and virtual (anywhere in the world) tastings meant to increase your confidence, make you laugh, and teach you what you actually need to know about wine to enjoy it better. Let’s do this! #stayindrinkwine

Option 1: 10 Things Everybody Should Know About Wine

This is the tasting that started it all. Enjoy two glasses of wine as our experts take you on a wild ride through the 10 things they believe everyone should know about wine. Forget memorizing maps, understanding brix levels and being able to give a ridiculous tasting note: you’re going to walk away better able to pick a wine you’ll love based on the shape of the bottle, know where and how to store it, and never spend more than you should again only to be disappointed by the bottle. Learn about storage, service, vintage charts… laugh with our experts as they perfectly describe the wine snobs you’ve likely come across… and order confidently off any wine list when you’re out in the future.

Option 2: Emerging Wines

We’re not giving up our obsession with French wine any time soon (or ever!) but we do love to explore lesser-known regions, grapes and styles. Our experts will take you on a tour of the places, people and grapes not generally associated with the wine world. From Black- and LGBTQIA+-made wines to grapes you’ve never heard of, there’s a world of wine out there that is often overshadowed. Let’s dive in and find new favorites, whether it’s Black Girl Magic by McBride Sisters or some Merwah from Lebanon, we’re gonna geek out over the wines that aren’t getting enough of the spotlight.

Option 3: Bubbles + Bites

What is it about Champagne? Well, for starters, it’s really freaking good. Part of this is the grapes used, more of it is the climate and the most is the exceptional care taken in the laborious process of making sparkling wine. We’ll taste and learn about Champagne before exploring other sparkling wines from around the world to learn the differences, which you like, and, of course, how to select and pair them for any occasion. Head’s up: this is a Prosecco-free tasting (we’re Prosecco’d out!). Fun fact: this tasting is perfect for celebrations and also probably has the best snacks because bubbles call for decadence!

The Fine Print

In-person tastings are for no more than 12 people. If you need to have more, let us know in advance so that we can work with you to make this happen. If there’s a 13th, you’re going to have to awkwardly decide, on the spot, who’s not participating and believe us, that’s going to be weird for everyone.

No one under 21 may be present. We know, we know… you love your kids, but they really kill the vibe at a wine tasting so we have a strict no-kids policy. Believe us, they're going to be bored. We want kids to develop healthy decision-making skills when it comes to substance use and seeing adults having a blast drinking can be confusing!

We supply snack suggestions, not snacks. We’ll send you suggestions for snacks (from the simple to the complex and to meet any dietary restriction you need) but do not provide food. If you would like the event catered, there is an extra fee but we can work within your budget.

In-person tastings must feel safe. We prioritize the safety of our presenters. Please make sure there are no tripping hazards in any areas where presenters will be walking (from where they park to where they’re presenting). Also, please do not have guests consuming alcohol prior to the start of the tasting. This is an educational experience and it’s going to be fun, but it’s less fun if people are already intoxicated. Presenters have the right, at any time, to leave if they feel unsafe.