Dr. David Muhleman

The-Wine-Educator    WINE & SPIRITS EDUCATION AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE CONSUMER AND THE PROFESSIONAL

Winery Etiquette

With Summer vacations fast approaching, many of us will be visiting wineries this Summer and I’d like to share a few rules of “Winery Etiquette.”

First, remember this may be a vacation for you, but it is the livelihood and business to the winery. This is their job and you need to respect that they are hard at work. Many winery visitors are going from winery to winery (hopefully with a designated driver) and making a party of their trip. Loud behavior, laughing and partying at the winery may seem fun for the partier, but this is not proper behavior in anyone else’s work area. You would not go into your bank and misbehave with your friends, so why do it at a winery. Fraternity behavior is never acceptable at a winery.

Second, the winery is making a product for human consumption, so be careful with your germs. Sticking your finger in the fermenting must is a big “no no!” Sampling from a barrel is like “double dipping” from the communal chip dip bowl. Handling the grapes, sticking your fingers in the wine, or any other un-hygienic activity is seriously frowned upon; and in many cases you may be asked to leave. Be careful of spreading germs and remember you wouldn’t want to have our germs in your wine, and we don’t want yours in our wine.

Third, the purpose of the tasting room is to “taste” the wine. You are tasting the wine to determine if you might like to buy some wine (the winery’s goal). The purpose of the tasting room is not a substitute for happy hour, and the crackers are not appetizers. Going from winery, to winery, to winery and “drinking” as many free samples as you can, is very poor behavior.

Fourth, the people serving you at the winery probably either made the wine, or are deeply invested in the people who did make the wine (and picked the grapes and who worked 24/7 during harvest). Therefore, be kind with your comments. Comments like “this wine is lousy” in front of the person who has spent their life making that wine, is very poor behavior. And it offers no constructive feedback to the winery. Comments like, “this wine has more tannins than I care for” is far more respectful than “I don’t like this wine.” Remember, all wines are the right wine for the right time and place.

Fifth, if the winery has a picnic area to enjoy wine and a bite to eat; please don’t bring wine from another winery to drink in front of the winery that went to the extra time and expense to build a picnic area. You would no more carry a Subway sandwich into a Red Lobster and sit down and eat your Subway. So why would you bring wine from another winery and use anothr’s facilities to drink it.

Sixth, you are not expected to buy wine EVERY time you taste wine, but remember that’s why the winery is doing tastings. If enough people taste wine and leave without buying wine, the tastings will soon stop. The grocery stores give you free samples hoping you will buy the food. The same is true at a winery. If a winery goes out of their way to make you feel at home, and taste their wine, the least you can do is buy a bottle.

Seventh, keep your opinions to yourself. Tasters can easily influence others in the tasting room. If you have concerns with the wine, share them quietly with the staff. If the wine is not to your tastes, no one really cares except you. You may like liver and onions; I don’t.

Eighth, if you make an appointment for a special tour or visit a winery that is normally closed. Remember this person is doing you a favor, hoping you will buy their wine. If I owned a grocery store and you called and asked me to open it, and you came in and tasted some samples and left without buying any groceries, I may not be willing to open up for the next person who asks. Remember, this is their business and you are using up their time. Time is money in any business.

Finally, winery etiquette is no more than good manners and good behavior. This is not a place to let children run unattended while you “belly up to the bar” and “throw a few back” with the boys. Wineries have a certain sophistication to them which should be observed. Winery visits are a good place to show that your Mother raised you to have respect for others.

So enjoy winery visits, taste wines you may never have tasted before, learn new things; but please remember there is a certain sense of etiquette that is expected.

Until next time, drink good wine.