To mark the end of a successful year together, Lot Sixteen normally throws a holiday dinner at a nice DC restaurant where we eat and drink well while enjoying each other's company.
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Unfortunately, like most plans in 2020, that possibility was derailed by COVID-19. However, we didn’t want to forego a much-deserved celebration at the end of a taxing, busy year of work at Lot Sixteen.
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Co-founders Josh Lahey and Colin Hayes conspired with Director Missy Deerin to work up a feasible alternative for how they could get the team together for a holiday party without, you know, actually getting the team together. They settled on something unique that was guaranteed to be a surefire crowd pleaser - a virtual wine tasting.
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Working with DC-based District Winery, Missy Deerin arranged for a private wine tasting session led virtually by a wine expert! District Winery handled the brunt of the work, shipping bottles of wine and a variety of treats out to Lot Sixteeners nationwide in advance of the wine tasting.

To mark the end of a successful year together, Lot Sixteen normally throws a holiday dinner at a nice DC restaurant where we eat and drink well while enjoying each other's company. Unfortunately, like most plans in 2020, that possibility was derailed by COVID-19. However, we didn’t want to forego a much-deserved celebration at the end of a taxing, busy year of work at Lot Sixteen.
‍

Co-founders Josh Lahey and Colin Hayes conspired with Director Missy Deerin to work up a feasible alternative for how they could get the team together for a holiday party without, you know, actually getting the team together. They settled on something unique that was guaranteed to be a surefire crowd pleaser - a virtual wine tasting.
‍

Working with DC-based District Winery, Missy Deerin arranged for a private wine tasting session led virtually by a wine expert! District Winery handled the brunt of the work, shipping bottles of wine and a variety of treats out to Lot Sixteeners nationwide in advance of the wine tasting.
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On Tuesday, December 22nd, the day had arrived! Post-work, Lot team members logged into Zoom to kick off the wine tasting experience, and the drinks began flowing. Our wine expert Michael joined us remotely from Brooklyn, New York and guided us through our tasting of the first wine, a Chardonnay. Folks enjoyed the Chardonnay for the most part, even those who aren’t typically too fond of Chardonnay. In between finishing the Chardonnay tasting and moving onto the Cuvée Noir tasting, Michael apportioned us off into smaller breakout rooms on Zoom to discuss what we enjoyed and didn’t enjoy about the wine so far. Then, we moved into tasting our red wine, which was a delicious blend.
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Interspersed throughout the tasting, Michael led us through a Wine Trivia game, complete with 22 questions about wine types, origins, and the viticulture process. While some wine-related pop culture was involved, it was ultimately a tough slate of trivia questions. By the end, James Lai had edged everyone else out as the top wine trivia expert on the leaderboard.

Never the type of group to leave the party early, teammates hopped onto another video call post-tasting to debrief the night, and keep the good stories (& drinks!) flowing. The whole activity was a perfect reminder that, while we’d rather have had this year pan out differently, we can still feel as close as ever and enjoy each others’ company nonetheless….Via the power of creative thinking!
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However or wherever you’re celebrating the holidays this year, we hope you have a wonderful time and stay safe! One more thing — Happy New Year!