The Wine Club Lagos hosts symphony of wine, music in multisensory first

In a unique blend of taste and sound, the Wine Club Lagos recently hosted a symphony of wine and music, marking a multisensory first in the city’s cultural scene.

The event brought together exceptional wines and live orchestral performances, creating an immersive experience for attendees.

The event reimagines six distinctive wines from England, Italy and France through bespoke musical arrangements inspired by well-known nostalgic songs, performed live by a 20-person orchestra. Each composition mirrors the personality, structure, and essence of the selected wines.

Folakemi Alli-Balogun, founder of The Wine Club Lagos, leads this pioneering experience, blending storytelling, sensory exploration, and cultural connection.

“This experience is about emotion and connection,” Alli-Balogun said. “Wine and music both evoke memory. We wanted to explore what happens when you let them speak to each other,” she explained.

According to her, the concept was inspired by a personal curiosity about what wine might sound like. “I was listening to my cousin play in a band, and he was playing with a few of his friends, and I remember listening to them, and for some reason, by listening to that band, it brought the thought into my mind of what does wine sound like, actually,” she recalled.

She explained that her collaboration with Vesta -the orchestra, brought the vision to life. “Over the past few weeks I’ve been working with the orchestra, teaching them how to taste wine, how to recognise certain characteristics in wine and letting those characteristics inspire the music that they have chosen.”

“I felt like it would be a really interesting thing to get people to taste the wine as the orchestra was playing the music and to see if they’re able to connect what they’re hearing with what they’re drinking.”

Each of the orchestra performances was carefully composed to reflect the wine’s personality – its rhythm, intensity and mood, which allows guests to experience the interplay of sound and flavour in real time.

“I just want people to experience wine to understand that there’s so much more to wine than just drinking it to the glass,” Alli-Balogun said.

Wine is art, it’s very complex but it’s also very welcoming, right, so anybody who cares to pick up a glass, there’s something you can relate to with wine,” she added.

The event had an exclusive audience of invite-only guests, including wine lovers, music and art enthusiasts, creative minds, corporate leaders, and long-time supporters of Lagos’s cultural scene.

It was an unforgettable evening that transcended traditional wine tasting. As the performances unfolded, guests tasted, listened and reflected on how both music and wine can stimulate emotions.

Lola Alakija, a pastor and guest at the event, said she could never have imagined that wines would have voices, saying, “But we’ve seen how this evening has helped us to translate, to match music to the taste of wine.”

“And to help you to live and relive experiences through what you taste in the wines,” Alakija said.

Ada Ijara, a financial analyst, said it was amazing to listen to music and drink, as it brings a trip down memory lane, noting that it would be an unforgettable experience.

“You know how music is very emotional, right? Whether you like it or not. So just infusing that with wine, I think, is a brilliant concept,” she added.

The event was accompanied by a feature-length documentary that captures the creative journey from concept to composition and performance, showcasing the vibrancy of Nigerian talent on a global stage