The virtual wine tasting was an abstract concept for the Australian wine industry before the pandemic, but with the pandemic, the orientation to virtual events also impacted the wine tasting industry by starting a new era.

Wineries in WA’s South West say so-called virtual tastings have made it possible for companies to tell the story behind their products and to connect with new markets and existing customers in the midst of the crisis. To participate in a virtual tasting, customers either pre-order, or are sent samples of wines in advance, and then connect with the winemaker via online videoconference platforms.

“It’s been an opportunity to completely change our business,” said Vanya Cullen, Managing Director of Cullen Wines, one of the manufacturers who organized the virtual wine tasting event, ABC News reported. They reached out to customers they couldn’t reach, such as Singapore, China, the United Kingdom, America and Japan, Cullen said, adding that they had achieved a positive result from the crisis with virtual tasting events. Vanya Cullen said her importer from China had been tasting with 4,000 people at the same time in the Zoom interview, adding that they also helped reduce carbon emissions with less air travel.