First Glass Wine Events, founded by Essex-based entrepreneur Kirsty Woodgate, has been named as one of the Nation’s Favourite Businesses for 2026 by the Small Business Saturday campaign, as it kicks off its annual call to champion and support the nation’s favourite small businesses.
First Glass Wine Events creates relaxed, social wine experiences in London, designed for people who want to learn about wine while meeting new people, including those who don’t have someone to come along with and want to attend solo.
The business was founded by Kirsty Woodgate after she realised that the kind of wine and social events she wanted to attend in her twenties simply didn’t exist. Having studied wine, gained her WSET Diploma and built experience hosting wine and social events, Kirsty decided to create the experience herself.
Since launching First Glass, Kirsty has hosted events across London, including in Elephant and Castle, Balham, Crystal Palace and Farringdon, as well as events in Manchester, bringing together people who may otherwise never have met.
The business also has a unique approach to helping guests connect. Kirsty has developed a palate pairing tool, which matches people according to their tastes in wine. Unlike a traditional dating-style swipe system or an algorithm designed to predict behaviour, the tool is based on people’s actual wine preferences and is designed to encourage natural conversation and connections at events.
First Glass is also expanding into vineyard tours designed for people who want to attend solo, continuing the company’s aim of creating welcoming experiences where people can enjoy wine while meeting others.
Kirsty Woodgate, founder of First Glass Wine Events, said:
“I created First Glass because these were the events I wished existed when I was in my twenties. I wanted somewhere you could turn up on your own, enjoy premium wine, and meet people without that awkward feeling of wondering who you’re going to talk to.
“After studying wine and gaining my WSET Diploma, as well as experience hosting events, I realised I had the knowledge and experience to create it myself. Building First Glass from that idea has been an incredible journey, and being recognised as one of the Nation’s Favourite Businesses is a huge milestone for me.
“What makes me particularly proud is that although wine is at the heart of what we do, the real focus is people. I want guests to leave having discovered a wine they love, but also having met someone they wouldn’t otherwise have crossed paths with. We have so many relationships that started at a First Glass event!”
Following a nationwide search, First Glass Wine Events has been selected as part of this year’s Nation’s Favourite Business line-up, a new campaign replacing the SmallBiz100.
The Nation’s Favourite Businesses campaign will showcase each business as part of the official countdown to Small Business Saturday on 5 December. Small Business Saturday is a grassroots non-commercial campaign aimed at celebrating and uplifting independent businesses by encouraging the public to support and spend with small businesses.
Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK, said:
“Small businesses have always been, and will continue to be, among the nation’s favourite businesses. Whether on our high streets, online or embedded in local communities, they play a vital role in the places we live and in the strength of our economy.
“This year’s Nation Favourite Businesses are a true representation of the UK’s most-loved small businesses. From independent, family run cafés and local restaurants, to makers, services and traders, they showcase the incredible diversity of the UK’s small business community.”
Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said:
“Small businesses bring energy, innovation and character to our high streets and local economies. That’s why American Express is proud to have founded Small Business Saturday and why we continue to back small businesses to help them thrive.”
Small Business Saturday is the UK’s most successful small business campaign. Since launching in the UK in 2013, it has engaged millions of people and seen billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday, with an impact that lasts all year round.
