Redefining Wine Tasting: Emily Hopper on Creating a Fun, Social Experience with GoodVines

In an industry often perceived as exclusive and intimidating, Emily Hopper, co-founder of GoodVines, is breaking down barriers and inviting a younger crowd to appreciate wine in a more relaxed and social setting. What began as informal wine tastings in her London flat has evolved into a thriving business focused on making wine more approachable. In this interview, Hopper shares the inspiration behind GoodVines, the challenges of operating in a male-dominated industry, and how her pop-up events are changing the wine-tasting experience for a new generation.

Nicolle: Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind starting GoodVines, and what specific challenges in the wine industry you aimed to address?

Emily: Working in wine as 20-somethings in London, it seemed to us that appreciating and learning about wine, rather than just drinking it casually, seemed to be reserved for a select few. For instance, our friends didn’t know much about wine, they’d never have thought a wine tasting would be up their alley. We saw it differently, a wine tasting could be a fun, social, and affordable thing to do, so we started running our own events out of our tiny London flat living room, a different take on a tasting, inviting friends and friends of friends, and really we grew from there.

Nicolle: What makes GoodVines different from traditional wine-tasting events, and how do you ensure your events are approachable for a younger audience?

Emily: Our primary goal is to ensure that everyone leaves feeling like they’ve had a great time while discovering something new about their own wine preferences. We’re not interested in following the traditional methods of wine tasting. Instead, we’re rewriting the rules to create a more relaxed, enjoyable experience. For instance, we only use one glass for all the wines, adding to the casual, laid-back vibe we're aiming for, and we reserve a portion of the tasting as an open bar, where people can stand up, mix and mingle, it’s not a lecture for us, it’s a social event.

Nicolle: As a female-owned business in a male-dominated industry, have you faced any particular obstacles, and how have you overcome them?

Emily: Not too much, really. We’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of support from people in the industry. That said, we do tend to gravitate towards other female-owned businesses in the industry. We do think there’s some work to be done in levelling the playing field with female producers too, it’s still a heavily male-dominated field.

Nicolle: What strategies do you use to make wine tastings more engaging and less intimidating for attendees who might not be familiar with wine culture?

From the moment attendees arrive, we focus on making them feel comfortable. We set the vibe with great music and create a relaxed atmosphere, avoiding any stuffy seating or formal settings. We engage with everyone as if they were a new friend, checking in throughout the tasting to see how they're enjoying it and encouraging them to open up. Our goal is to make everyone feel at home. We’re also careful with the words we use, we don’t overload on jargon or technical terms, trying instead to explain those concepts in simpler words.

Nicolle: How do you choose the venues for your pop-up events, and what has been the response from the locations and attendees so far?

Emily: We tend to choose venues that, as I mentioned, make everyone feel like they're in a friend's living room—cosy, comfortable, and relaxed.

Nicolle: You mentioned that the 20s crowd is often missing out on traditional wine tastings. How do you tailor your events to attract and retain a younger demographic?

Emily: Two things - the experience, and focusing on wine knowledge they can use out in the world. Many tastings share specific knowledge, about that tasting, like about a specific producer. We try and give them knowledge that’ll be useful, outside the event. And then, the vibes, for e.g. our themes, we make sure they’re always fun and speak to a younger audience, like our recent ‘hot wine summer’ tasting focused on juicy, fresh fruit-bomb wines for the summer.

Nicolle: Can you share a memorable moment or feedback from one of your events that highlights what GoodVines is all about?

Emily: One of the most memorable moments was when someone who attended a tasting with their partner, not really a fan of wine and expecting the night to be stuffy and dull, came up to us afterwards. They told us how much they actually enjoyed the experience and that they were even planning to order a bottle they loved online.

Nicolle: What are your future plans for GoodVines, and how do you envision growing and evolving in the coming years?

Emily: For us, the goal is for people to think of GoodVines when they’re choosing wine. As for how we get there, we're excited to see how the journey unfolds.

With plans to continue growing and making wine more accessible, Emily Hopper envisions a future where GoodVines becomes a go-to for wine lovers looking for a laid-back and educational experience. By blending social connections, fun themes, and practical knowledge, she hopes to reshape how people, especially the younger generation, engage with wine.

As GoodVines continues to evolve, Hopper’s mission remains clear: wine should be for everyone and the journey to discovering it should be as enjoyable as the wine itself.

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Nicolle Knapova is a 30-year-old young adult writer and freelance blogger from the Czech Republic. She has a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing at Bournemouth University. She loves to write about music, books and TV shows. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.