Booking and payment

How does the online booking process work?
Just select the tasting/date you’d like to join, and then follow the booking process. In step 3, choose the “payment with PayPal” option to pay via your PayPal account or with your credit card (even if you don’t have a PayPal account). You can also choose to pay via “direct bank transfer” if you have a European bank account. After the successful completion of this process, you will first receive a confirmation mail (stating the tasting you have booked and payment information). This process is automated, so this mail should arrive right after you book (you might want to check your spam folder!). Within 24 hours you will receive another mail with all necessary indications (your invoice, tasting details, a map and detailed directions to the vino roma location etc.).

I don’t want to book online, what are my options?
In that case, just let us know by email or by phone which tasting you wish to join and how many will be coming. If there is still enough time for the whole process, you will get an email from us with all the necessary information, including payment options. If the notice is short, we will first see to it that you can get to us for the tasting you are asking and then settle the payment in cash at the end of the tasting.

Do you take credit cards?
Yes. If you book online, you can use the PayPal option during check-out (even if you don’t have a PayPal account!) and pay with your credit card. If you are not booking online, please see above.

Can I change my dates after booking?
Yes you can. But please give us a notice as early as possible. Just give us a call or email us (depending on how short the notice is) and we’ll arrange a different date according to our openings and to your availability. Please consider that, if we are not able to accommodate your change wish (though we will try hard to make it possible), it will be handled as a cancellation.

Can I buy a tasting as a present?
Yes. Just book your tasting online, specifying that you would like a gift certificate for this (in the notes field). We will email you a gift voucher (with all necessary indications but no price on it).

The tastings

I don’t know anything about wine; can I attend your tasting?
Yes, please do! Our tastings are designed to inform and entertain everyone, you will learn something new no matter what your level of knowledge is. We don’t believe in wine-snobbery, so don’t worry, no question will be laughed at. We will also teach you the basics at the very beginning so that you can enjoy the tasting to the fullest extent.

I have a lot of experience with wine & tastings; can I still attend your tasting (and not get bored)?
Yes, please do try our tasting! Our tastings are designed to inform and entertain everyone, you will learn something new no matter what your level of knowledge is. You will definitely get to know new wines and maybe whole new regions! If you have, based on your experience and knowledge, detailed / specified wishes, you can also consider arranging a special tasting. Please check per mail or the contact form what we can arrange for you.

In which language are the tastings?
Our tastings are (at the moment) in English and German. Italian and Turkish are available upon special request. We are working on other languages, do ask us.

Where are the tastings?
All tastings are at the vino roma location, right in the heart of Rome. The Palazzo is on the Tiber bank, very close to the Ponte and Piazza Cavour, halfway between the Spanish Steps and the Vatican.

Is there any food served during the tasting?
There will be good bread and water during the “my Italians” tasting. We want you to have an unaltered taste experience to fully appreciate the wines. It is common practice to neutralize your palate with some bread and/or water during a tasting, any other food would alter the aromas and the taste (and your perception).

During special arrangements, we might offer food other than this, please check when booking.

Which wines will we taste?
My Italians. Only Italian wines. From all over Italy. All of them good. We have a broad selection of wines from which we choose at every tasting. Usually there are 7 different wines at each tasting, this may vary slightly. There might be some acquaintances as well as some surprises. We have wines from some small producers we know personally and we have wines from some famous names as well. Each selection will help you learn more and appreciate Italian wines while refining and defining your taste. You will get a list of the wines you taste during the tasting along with some information for future reference.

How many people will there be at the tasting?
There is no minimum; if you have booked, the tasting will take place, even if it may turn out to be a special tasting for you – great chance to ask everything you ever wanted to ask and were too shy to. The maximum is 20 attendees. Any number in between is possible. Our experience shows that with more attendees there will be lively discussions about wine and a lot of opportunities to meet new like-minded people and to maybe exchange travel experience, too.

Can I buy wine at the tasting?
Yes. We are not commercial sellers and there is absolutely no obligation to buy wine. But if you liked the wines you have just drunk (you bet you will!) and wish to take some home with you, no problem. You can have them for retail price. We may also be able to deliver your wine at your hotel reception in some cases, please ask.

Can I buy the wines online?
We are working on it. At this moment though, this feature is not available yet. There are a lot of regulations to consider in different countries when shipping wine and we are trying to accommodate them all. In the meantime, if our wines are available for (online) purchase in your country through different sources, we will gladly mention them to you. Please ask.

Can I request specific wines at our tasting?
Perhaps! Just let us know what special interest you have, and we’ll do our best to come up with something which will accommodate you and the other attendees as well. If you want to fully customize your tasting, we can also do it. Just let us know when booking, we can arrange special tastings at different dates/times with a wine list catered fully to your wishes.

Can I bring my kids with me?
In Italy the legal drinking age has just been raised to 18. The tastings are a great education and a first step into responsible drinking for young adults, so book for them, too! Your underage children can join the tasting for free and we’ll offer them water and bread (poor kids!). Just tell us in the notes field when booking, so that we can accommodate them. On behalf of other attendees (and also your own pleasure), please consider not bringing very small children who cannot sit through a 2-hour tasting with adults. Unfortunately, the vino roma premises do not offer any space to put small children to bed or other relaxing and quiet environment.

Do I need to bring anything to the tasting?
No. If you want you can bring a camera to take pictures and you can also takes notes, but you will be handed out most information, anyways. Oh, don’t forget to bring your high spirits with you!

Any other winetasting advice?
* Don’t brush your teeth right before the tasting, that would limit your perceptions and pleasure in drinking wine.

* Don’t brush your teeth right after the tasting, even though you might want to get rid of the blue color on your teeth. Wait about half an hour before brushing so that you don’t ruin the enamel of your teeth.

* Any other strong smell, however nice it might be on its own, stands in the way of a good perception of taste (for you and others nearby): Perfume, smoke etc….