Lidl is announcing a ‘Wine Tasting in the Dark’ pop-up set to go on a nationwide tour of London, Manchester, and Glasgow, set to be delivered by CSM Live and Good Relations
The ‘Lidl Chateaux Noir’ event will help guests to identify top quality wine in the run up to Christmas – even when immersed in total darkness.
New research by the supermarket reveals Brits are relying on what the bottle looks like, rather than focusing on what’s inside – a third (35%) will choose their wine based on the design of the bottle, and over a quarter (27%) based on a luxury or premium label.
What’s more, over half of Brits (55%) say they don’t know what makes a wine ‘good quality’.
The confusion around wine quality means customers are often paying over the odds to get a good quality bottle of wine. Almost a third (29%) think you have to spend at least £9 for a good quality bottle of wine, while 37% would spend a whopping £13 for a bottle of wine for a Christmas party or festive social occasion.
By offering guests the chance to taste wine in the dark – served by night-vision goggle clad waiters – Lidl believes wine lovers can learn to identify real quality wine, without making the mistake of choosing their wines solely based on bottle design, labels or price.
Guests will experience the ‘Discombobulation Chamber’ – a candy cane striped space set to throw off the senses, the ‘Cellar Noir’ – a dark space hosting the wine tasting journey hosted by Lidl’s Master of Wine Richard Bampfield, and the Salle de Noel – a festive wonderland decked out with real Christmas trees, mince pies, and a cheeseboard of snacks.
Richard Bampfield, Master of Wine, said: “At ‘Lidl Chateaux Noir’, we want to encourage visitors to see if they can identify a wine’s quality in a completely new setting – using darkness to dispel common prejudices that come with buying wine. This is a unique opportunity to forget everything you thought you knew about wine and come and challenge your senses with us.”
‘Lidl Chateaux Noir’ will open its doors on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th November at 46 Great Titchfield Street, Soho, London. They will then be in Deansgate Underground Arches, Manchester on 16th and 17th November, and Argyle Street Arches, Glasgow on 23rd and 24th November.
Tickets to the event cost £4 plus an extra 90p booking fee, with all proceeds going to the NSPCC to help keep children in the UK safe.
