Sold-out true crime themed wine tasting evening returns to Cardiff this Valentine’s Day
Pontypridd in 1880 (Credit - Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/The National Library of Wales)
The wildly popular true crime event, Wines and Crimes is returning to Cardiff this Valentine’s Day (14 February).
Hosted by Vin Van Cymru and historian (University of Leicester), Dr Angela Muir, the event will feature a series of grisly true crime stories committed in Wales in the name of ‘love’. Each story will be paired with a unique glass of wine.
In this event, Dr Muir will focus on stories of burglary, arson, murder and courtship gone horribly wrong. Each story comes from Dr Muir's research on the Great Court Sessions and happened in Wales during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Sara Hobday, the founder of Vin Van, will use her expertise to creatively pair each of the stories with a wine with tasting notes for each one. The audience will be asked to find a link between the wine and the crime, and have a chance to guess the outcome of each crime. This will be a fun, interactive and informative event aimed at true crime enthusiast and wine lovers alike.
Dr Angela Muir is a Lecturer in British Social and Cultural History and the Director of the Centre for Regional and Local History at the University of Leicester. Dr Muir is an expert in 18th-century history with a particular focus on gender, deviance, and crime in Wales and England. She is based in Cardiff.
Vin Van is an independent wine shop based at The Corp Market in Cardiff. The shop carries a wide range of affordable and interesting wines - including an impressive collection of Welsh-produced wines. This is the fourth in a series hosted by Vin Van and Dr Muir. The first three events, all held on either Valentine’s Day or Halloween, were completely sold out.
Dr Muir said: “This is a fun way to explore a little-known side of Welsh history, while also enjoying some excellent wines you’re not likely to find elsewhere. Sara has a way of sharing her expertise in a fun and engaging way, so whether you know a little or a lot about wine already, you’ll definitely have a great time.”
Sara Hobday said: “I'm always trying to find new ways to get people interacting with wine and make affordable and interesting wines accessible to lots of people. Angela has such a special way of bringing Welsh history alive that we thought, why not combine the two? We have so much fun putting these events together and I think that's what makes them so successful.”
Wine & Crimes: Vol IIII My Bloody Valentine is taking place on Wednesday, 14 February between 6:30pm and 9:00pm at Vin Van Cymru, The Corp Market, Cardiff. More information about the event and how to book tickets can be found here.