You can learn wine without making it formal. This 2-hour High Wine at Wijnbar Paskamer pairs three glasses with three matching bites in lively De Pijp.

What I like most is the setup: WSET-certified sommeliers talk you through what you’re drinking and why each bite fits. You also get the fun of a cozy wine bar that’s been named Wine Bar of the Year in the Netherlands in 2022. One thing to keep in mind: this is not a full dinner, and the portions are intentionally small.

If you’re the type who wants to taste your way through Amsterdam, this is a smart use of time. You’ll reserve about 90 minutes for the experience, then you can decide if you want to stay longer for more food and wine. The main tradeoff is that it’s not ideal for everyone—pregnant women and kids under 18 aren’t recommended.

Key highlights worth planning for

• Three-round structure: three wines, three bites, and clear pairing explanations each time
• WSET-certified guidance: learn the logic behind the pairings, not just the names
• De Pijp atmosphere: a lively neighbourhood stop around an actual wine bar experience
• Award recognition: Wine Bar of the Year in the Netherlands (2022)
• Add-on option: for an extra EUR 11 per person, you can add another wine-and-bite round

Why Paskamer’s High Wine Works in De Pijp

Amsterdam has plenty of wine lists. This experience focuses on something better: wine + food pairing you can understand as you go. At Paskamer, you’re not sent a plate and left alone. Instead, you get three rounds, and each round comes with both a wine pour and a matching small bite.

De Pijp is the right setting for this. It’s lively enough that you’ll feel part of the neighbourhood rhythm, but this kind of structured tasting still keeps things calm and guided. If you want a wine experience that feels social and local rather than overly staged, this fits.

And yes, the bar’s award matters in a practical way. Wine Bar of the Year in the Netherlands (2022) suggests the place takes quality seriously. For you, that usually means the pours are deliberate and the food pairing isn’t an afterthought.

What WSET-certified sommeliers do for your tasting

The difference with a guided pairing is that you learn how to taste, not just what to taste.

Here’s the core idea: your sommelier explains why the pairing works. That matters because wine isn’t only about grape variety. It’s about how acidity, sweetness, tannins, and body interact with food. When you hear that logic out loud, you start spotting it faster on your own.

You’ll also get wine-and-bite combinations made from the bar’s strongest picks. The experience uses a selection of the most beautiful wine and food combinations available for the High Wine format, meaning you’re tasting within a theme rather than ordering randomly from a menu.

One more small plus: the staff language options are Dutch and English, so you can actually follow the explanation without guessing.

Round One: your first glass-and-bite pairing

Your experience starts at Wijnbar Paskamer and then moves through three tasting rounds. In the first round, you’ll get a glass of quality wine plus a small bite designed to match it.

Don’t treat the bite like a garnish. The whole point is that the bite is there to test your palate in a helpful way. If you’re new to wine, this is a friendly entry point: you taste one wine, then immediately taste it again with food.

Practical way to enjoy Round One:

• Take a small sip first, then eat the bite.
• Notice whether the food makes the wine taste smoother, sharper, lighter, or more intense.
• Listen to the sommelier’s explanation, then try to repeat the pairing logic in your own words.

This is where the High Wine format usually wins. You’re learning in real time, not reading a wine label after the fact.

Round Two and Round Three: how the pairing builds

By the second round, you should start tasting with a purpose. You’ll be served another glass of quality wine with another small matching bite. The sommelier keeps tying the wine choices to the food, so your palate gets trained to look for patterns.

Round Two is often where people begin to relax. You’ve already learned how the bar pairs, and now it’s easier to focus on differences between wines. Round Three is where the experience becomes memorable for most people—by then, you’re comparing what worked and why, instead of just following along.

Even though the High Wine is only three rounds, the structure is long enough to feel like a real “journey” rather than a quick sample. With 2 hours total, you get time to taste, listen, and ask questions without rushing.

Is it a full dinner? Portions, timing, and what to do next

A High Wine is not meant to replace a dinner. The experience is built around smaller portions than normal dishes, and the tasting bites are sized for pairing—not filling you up.

This matters because it affects your evening plan. If you’re expecting a complete meal, you’ll likely feel hungry afterward. If you go in knowing it’s a guided tasting, it feels just right: you get three rounds and a clear learning experience, then you choose what to do next.

You do have an add-on path. For a supplement of EUR 11 per person, you can add an extra round of one wine and one bite. And if you want more, you can request to extend your stay with additional food and wine.

Timing tip that keeps you comfortable: reserve about 90 minutes for the experience so you’re not sprinting afterward. It’s designed to last longer than a quick tasting, but it’s still fast enough to fit into an Amsterdam evening.

Price in perspective: what $43 buys you

At $43 per person, this High Wine isn’t trying to be the cheapest drink around. But it’s also not overpriced for what you’re actually getting.

You’re paying for:

• Three glasses of quality wine
• Three matching bites
• A guided pairing explanation from a certified sommelier
• A structured experience in a respected Amsterdam wine bar

Compare that to typical pay-as-you-go ordering. If you ordered wine by the glass plus a snack, you’d still be missing the pairing education. The value here is the guided “why,” which can be hard to replicate on your own unless you’re already fluent in wine-food pairing.

Also, the optional EUR 11 add-on lets you scale the experience. If three rounds is perfect, great. If you want more, you can add without committing to a separate full meal up front.

The vibe: what makes Paskamer feel worth your time

This is a wine bar setting in the De Pijp area, and that affects how the tasting feels. It’s lively enough to feel like you’re out in Amsterdam, but structured enough that you won’t lose the thread.

There’s also a quality signal from the feedback. The overall rating is 4.6 across 10 reviews, and one highlighted point was that the food is good and the pairing works well with the wine. That lines up with what High Wine is meant to do: the bites should not be random.

One more practical note: it’s described as a private group experience. That generally means the pacing can feel more personal than a big public tasting, since you’re not trying to get your questions answered while competing with a crowd.

Who this High Wine is best for (and who should skip it)

This High Wine in Amsterdam suits you if:

• You want a guided wine-and-food pairing without studying wine theory first
• You like learning through tasting, not through a long lecture
• You’re planning a De Pijp evening and want a quality stop that doesn’t swallow your whole night

It’s not a great fit if:

• You’re pregnant (not suitable)
• You’re traveling with children under 18 (not suitable)
• You want a full dinner-style meal with bigger portions

Wheelchair accessible is listed, which is good to know if mobility access is important for your plans.

Practical tips so you actually enjoy the 2 hours

Here’s how to make the most of it without overthinking:

• Plan for about 2 hours on your schedule, and reserve around 90 minutes for the tasting itself.
• Come with an appetite for learning more than eating. You’ll get three bites, but it’s not a full meal.
• If you have dietary wishes, tell the team ahead of time. With prior notice, they can adjust to any diet.
• Expect the sommelier to guide you in Dutch or English, depending on the setup.

One last tip: ask questions. The format is built for explanations, so if there’s a style of wine you usually like (crisp whites, smoother reds, etc.), it’s reasonable to ask how the pairing approach works.

Should you book Paskamer High Wine in Amsterdam?

Yes—if you want a guided wine-and-bite experience in Amsterdam that doesn’t feel like a classroom. For $43, you’re getting three wine pours, three paired bites, and a sommelier-led explanation that helps you understand what you tasted. The De Pijp setting also makes it a fun neighbourhood activity rather than a tourist-only stop.

Skip it only if you’re expecting a full dinner or you fall into the not-suitable categories. Otherwise, this is exactly the kind of structured tasting that makes future wine choices easier—because you’ll know the logic behind the pairing, not just the label.

FAQ

How long is the Paskamer High Wine experience?

It lasts 2 hours in total. You should reserve around 90 minutes for the High Wine experience itself.

What’s included in the High Wine?

You get three quality wines, three matching bites, and guidance from a certified sommelier.

Is High Wine a complete dinner?

No. A high wine cannot be seen as a complete dinner including wine pairing. Portions are smaller than normal dishes.

Can I add another wine and bite?

Yes. For a supplement of EUR 11 per person, you can add an extra round of one wine and one bite.

What dietary needs can you accommodate?

If you inform the team about your dietary wishes in advance, they can adjust with prior notice to any diet.

What languages are used during the experience?

The sommeliers/instructors use Dutch and English.