RORY LANE THE STORY WINES

WINEMAKER Rory Lane from The Story Wines in Victoria was already looking for more ways to connect directly with his customers. With no cellar door, the only opportunity Rory usually had to talk to people about his wine was at events, such as farmers’ markets. When Covid forced the world onto Zoom, Rory discovered that virtual tastings might be the solution, not just during lockdown but also ongoing. “In a way, it was a nice coincidence that I’d directed some investment towards that part of the business, right when it became critical,” he says.

Since launching in May 2020, Rory and The Story’s direct-toconsumer manager Beth Bicknell have hosted online tastings for everyone from small groups of friends looking for ways to socialise during lockdown to corporate groups of more than 100 people needing fun ways to stay connected while working remotely.

As a point of difference, and to ensure the wine arrives in the best possible shape, Rory sends three full bottles of the customer’s choosing, plus tasting notes, to each group. Then, at a pre-arranged time and via the customer’s preferred platform (Zoom, Teams, Facebook and so on), Rory and Beth take their guests through the chosen wines, the wine regions and The Story Wines brand.

“Really, we just sit and have a couple of glasses of wine and a good laugh,” he says.

While enquiries and bookings for these virtual tasting sessions naturally peak during periods of lockdown, there has been enough interest to justify their continuation now that lockdowns are (hopefully) a thing of the past. They’re a particularly good option for workplaces with employees in multiple cities, or those with working-from-home arrangements in place who are still seeking social activities. They also open the brand to a global audience – Rory has hosted virtual tastings with groups in the UK and Singapore, and has had enquiries from India and the US.

Although Rory appreciates that virtual events probably won’t ever fully replace face-to-face, he believes they’ll remain an excellent second option. There’s also the potential to stream in-person events to those who can’t physically be there. “It’s just something in the toolkit for us to engage people in the way they want to be engaged,” he says.

“I think it’ll be one of those things that we trot out and give as an option for people. How it’s going to go in the future, well that’s anyone’s guess really. The pandemic is unpredictable!”

I think it’ll be one of those things that we trot out and give as an option for people.

Rory Lane,

The Story Wines.