What if your next highlight happened over a glass of wine?

Finding an activity that truly brings a group together, that surprises people and creates connection without forcing it, is often the headache of big occasions. Hen or stag party, birthday, corporate team building, outing with friends: you want something different, memorable, unlike anything you’ve done before. Vinea Mea’s Iconic Tasting meets exactly that need. In the heart of Old Lyon (Vieux-Lyon), surrounded by rare wines and old vintages explained by our experts, you experience much more than a simple tasting. You share a moment.

What is the Vinea Mea Iconic Tasting?

The Dégustation Iconique is an oenological experience built around rare wines and old vintages, carefully selected for their character, their story and their ability to tell you something. Not a random list of bottles: a selection designed to surprise, spark curiosity and start a conversation.

The workshop takes place in our cellars in the heart of Old Lyon, one of the city's neighbourhoods richest in history and atmosphere. Ancient stone, soft lighting, the smell of the cellar: the setting is already part of the experience before the first glass is poured.

Throughout the tasting, our experts are with you. They comment on each wine and explain the terroir, the vintage and the winemaker’s choices, without ever turning the evening into a lecture. The aim is to make each participant an active part of their own discovery, to invite them to trust their senses and to say what they feel without fear of being wrong.

Who is this workshop for?

A Bachelorette Party Out of the Ordinary

The classic hen party has its own codes. But more and more brides-to-be are looking for an alternative that truly brings the group together, that allows people to talk, laugh and share something tangible. Tasting rare wines in a setting as beautiful as Old Lyon ticks all these boxes. It is elegant, convivial, and an experience people still talk about long afterwards.

A team-building event that creates real conversations

In a corporate setting, team-building activities work when they put everyone on an equal footing. Wine tasting achieves this naturally: nobody is right or wrong, everyone brings their own impressions, and that is precisely what creates conversation. Our experts know how to lead a professional group, adjust the level of the discussion, and make sure even the least experienced feel at ease and curious.

A birthday or a night out with friends to remember

Celebrating a birthday over exceptional wines means giving the person you are celebrating an experience rather than an object. And for an outing with friends who appreciate fine things, the Dégustation Iconique is a way to spend an evening that goes beyond the usual restaurant, without giving up the pleasure of the table and of sharing.

An old vintage is not simply drunk, it is told: each bottle is an invitation to travel through time and through a terroir.

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What makes this moment truly memorable

The strength of this workshop lies in the quality of the wines themselves. Rare wines and old vintages have something that everyday bottles do not: a depth and complexity that reveal themselves slowly in the glass and change as the conversation goes on. They naturally spark curiosity, comparisons and memories. “That reminds me of…” is often the phrase that starts the best conversations.

Then there is the setting. Old Lyon (Vieux-Lyon) is not a conventional backdrop: it is a living, listed neighbourhood that gives every evening a special dimension. Arriving through its cobbled lanes, pushing open the door of Vinea Mea, going down into a cellar: the change of scene begins even before the first tasting note.

And then there are our experts. People who are passionate and can talk about wine without intimidating anyone, who ask the right questions to get the group talking, and who also know when to stay quiet so that everyone can have their own sensory experience.

How do you book and organise your workshop?

The Dégustation Iconique is offered at 115 euros per person. This price includes a selection of rare wines and old vintages, hosting by our experts, and of course the unique setting of our cellars in Old Lyon. For an experience of this quality, it is an investment that is easy to justify, especially considering the memory it leaves.

The organisation is simple: you book directly online on the workshop page, and we contact you to fine-tune the details according to your group and your occasion. Whether you are six friends or about twenty colleagues, whether you are celebrating a retirement or a hen party, we adapt the format so that the evening is exactly worthy of what you want to celebrate.

Old Lyon (Vieux-Lyon) is waiting for you. So are the wines.

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FAQ: your questions about the Iconic Tasting

Do you need to know about wine to enjoy the workshop?

Not at all. The Dégustation Iconique is designed to be accessible to all levels, from complete beginners to experienced enthusiasts. Our experts adapt what they say to the group and make sure everyone feels at ease expressing what they taste, without unnecessary jargon or any feeling of being judged.

Can the workshop be booked privately for a group?

Yes, and it is even one of the most popular options for private occasions such as a hen or stag party, a birthday or a corporate team building. Contact us directly after your booking to discuss the details and tailor the programme to your wishes.

Where exactly does the tasting take place in Old Lyon (Vieux-Lyon)?

The workshop takes place in the cellars of Vinea Mea, in the heart of Old Lyon, the Renaissance district listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A historic, intimate setting that contributes fully to the atmosphere of the experience. The exact address is provided when your booking is confirmed.

Article written with the help of AI.