The office holiday party has a tough audience: executives and new hires, wine lovers and non-drinkers, people who know each other well and people who barely do. The wine has to work for everyone. Here's how to get it right.
Pick crowd-pleasers, not statements
This is not the night for a funky natural wine or a monster Cabernet. Michael's go-to pair for big corporate groups:
White: Terras Gauda "Abadía de San Campio" Albariño from Spain. Bright, citrusy and refreshing, and it works with almost any passed appetizer.
Red: Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir from Oregon. Juicy and smooth, never heavy, so both red lovers and red skeptics enjoy it.
Add a sparkling wine (Prosecco or Cava) for the welcome and the toast, and a dry rosé as a bridge for people who "don't usually drink wine."
Include everyone
About one in five Gen Z adults don't drink alcohol at all, and plenty of colleagues of every age don't. Offer a real non-alcoholic option, not just soda. Two Michael actually serves: Giesen non-alcoholic Sauvignon Blanc and Wander + Found (now La Kaya) non-alcoholic Pinot Noir. A mocktail station works too.
How much to buy
For a three-hour party, plan about one bottle per two guests, plus one bottle of bubbly per eight guests if you're doing a toast. Our party wine calculator post has the full chart.
Make it an experience
The parties people remember have something to do. A guided wine tasting gives everyone the same starting point, whether they're the CFO or the newest intern, and it naturally gets people talking across teams. Popular formats:
Seated tasting of four to six wines with a sommelier telling the story behind each.
Blind tasting challenge by table or department, with a prize.
Walk-around stations for bigger receptions.
Virtual tasting with kits shipped to remote team members, so nobody's left out.
Book early
December weekends and weeknights fill up fast. Reach out three to four weeks ahead, longer for virtual events that need time to ship kits.
Learn more: Holiday party wine tastings · Corporate tastings · Virtual tastings
And if you're just buying for the party yourself, ask Sommelier on Demand: "Office party for 40, mixed crowd, $15 to $20 a bottle."
