We have all been spending a lot of time online the past six months, mostly doing work or visiting with family and friends that we can't see regularly. Why not spend some time learning about wine or spirits online as well?

In this theme, I am also pleased to announce a new partnership with Ameriprise Financial in Simsbury, Ct. For this collaboration, we are providing their clients with customized virtual cocktail demonstration classes.

We hosted an event last month to great success and are now planning the second iteration in early October. Demonstrating seasonal cocktails that the clients make at home while interacting virtually with their "bartender" host, is a great way to engage clients or friends.

Each client was provided a professional bar kit with all the tools they would need to make the cocktails on deck for the event, and included professional grade shakers, strainers, spoons, knives and other implements of destruction. Each client was also given cocktail kits with all of the ingredients to make the drinks selected by the organization. Class lasted about an hour and each participant made the recipes and received insider tips for making restaurant quality drinks from their host.

​If you have a group or organization that is interested in virtual classes or demonstrations, New England Wine Academy can work within your needs as well as budget and time-frame to provide a custom experience that is fun and engaging.