London’s Hottest Wine Event Is Returning to New York

Are you a big fan of Bordeaux? A connoisseur of Champagne? Perhaps you simply order your wine by color (“bubby and pink sounds good today”) but wish you had the knowledge to get a little more specific? Regardless of where you sit on the scale of novice to sommelier, this summer’s upcoming Decanter’s Fine Wine Encounter is the perfect opportunity to expand your grapevine-wrapped horizons.

The event returns to NYC for a fifth year on Saturday, June 6, 2026. In a list of luxurious things to do in New York City, spending the day gazing out at the Manhattan skyline while sampling 200 wines from around the globe might be hard to top.

Founded in 1975, Decanter is the UK’s oldest consumer wine publication and Europe’s best-selling wine magazine. The team covers industry news, provides in-depth vineyard tours and reviews of wine-centric vacations, and offers detailed vintage and regional guides as well as individual bottle recommendations. Once a year, they bring together hundreds of the world’s top wine experts to evaluate wines from across the globe, resulting in the highly influential Decanter World Wine Awards. All that’s to say, if you can only make it to a single wine event this year, make it the one that Decanter is hosting.

The Fine Wine Encounter is six hours of vinous activities, and the main event is the Grand Tasting. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to sample over 200 wines from 55 leading producers from across the globe. Notable vineyards on the lineup include Bollinger from Champagne, Ridge Vineyards from Santa Cruz, Frescobaldi from Tuscany, and Pahlmeyer from Napa Valley. Well-known regions like Rioja, Bordeaux, Champagne, and Mendoza are represented alongside emerging spots like Tasmania and Walla Walla.

Nestled among the 200+ options are a selection of Special Wines, exceptional bottles that have been awarded 95 or more points by Decanter. This includes sold-out vintages, rare cuvées, and large format pours. Plus, of course, winners of last year’s Decanter World Wine Award will be there: The 2025 Gold, Platinum, and Best in Show—”bottles seldom poured side-by-side, and rarely available to taste in one place,” according to the event page—will all be available to taste.

This isn’t your grandfather’s wine tasting (though he’s certainly invited too). The event “is a vibe, it’s some real grown and sexy stuff,” wine expert Jermaine Stone, aka @realwolfofwine, said at the 2025 Fine Wine Encounter New York. “The wines are amazing. The people are very cool. It feels like a luxurious experience, but still down to earth.”

Whether you’re a long-time wine enthusiast or just starting to dip your nose in, the down-to-earth atmosphere makes it the perfect opportunity to learn more at your own pace (without having to buy a plane ticket to Europe or South America). The self-guided tasting provides the opportunity to speak directly with the people behind the wines, so you can explore vintages from regions you might not otherwise be able to travel to.

On top of the all-day tasting, there will be curated masterclasses hosted by industry experts for an even deeper dive into a specific topic. The Champagne session has already sold out, but tickets for the classes on Italy’s Super Tuscans and Cabernet Sauvignons from Heitz Cellar in Napa are still available. And don’t worry, there’s food too: You can make an on-site lunch reservation for up to six people ahead of time.

To get the most out of the event, Tiffany Singleton, a publicist at @poise_pr, advised to “come open-minded.” If you fall in love with a bottle or two or 10, you can order them online; event attendees get 10% off at millesima.com. (With a few exceptions: Some of the special wines are so limited, they won’t be available for purchase.)

“Decanter Fine Wine Encounter is about bringing together exceptional wines, the people behind them, and an audience that values both,” Decanter Magazine Editor Amy Wislocki said in a press release. “New York is one of the world’s most dynamic wine cities, and this event offers a rare opportunity to taste broadly, learn directly from leading experts and discover wines at the highest level.”

The Decanter Fine Wine Encounter New York is on Saturday, June 6 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the Bay Room at Manhatta, located 60 floors above Liberty St in NYC. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $225, the Masterclasses range from $145 - $195, and lunch is $85 per person (when booking ahead). Click here to learn more and secure your spot at the event.

Use MARIECLAIRE20 at checkout for 20 percent off Grand Tasting and Masterclass tickets.