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Winery etiquette
Visiting a winery? Make the most of the trip with this how-to guide.
By Tony Aspler
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Running a winery and vineyard is a year-round business, but many wineries' tasting rooms are open only during the summer season, from May to October or November. Rather than turning up on the doorstep to find a "Closed" notice on the door, call ahead or check the website for the winery's hours. If you are travelling in a large group, phone ahead and advise the tasting room when you're arriving. The weekends are the busy time and, if you want special treatment as a group, ask if there is a private tasting room. My advice is to avoid visiting wineries on holiday weekends if you want to ask the staff questions. They'll be too busy to spend much time with you.
If you're driving, don't block access to doorways or to your fellow visitors with your car. If you're cycling, make sure you park your bike so that no one will back over it. Many wineries now have bike racks.
You will be greeted with open arms as long as you are there to sample the wines and not to party. Most wineries don't charge for a sample pour and will be happy to serve you up to four selections. You may have to pay for their specialty wines, such as icewine. It is de rigeur for professional wine tasters to spit, so don't be afraid to follow this custom. Spittoons and dump buckets are provided, but make sure your aim is true. And don't feel you have to finish each sample. You won't offend the tasting-room staff if you dump the sample after one sip. Keep your opinion to yourself and move on.
Don't start with icewine and then try to taste a Sauvignon Blanc, because the initial sweetness will make the wine that follows taste sour. Begin with the dry white wines, move to the dry red wines, and finish with the Late Harvest and dessert wines.
If you're on a guided tour, don't carry on a conversation with your friends/partner/strangers while your guide is explaining the winemaking process. And don't monopolize the guide's attention by asking too many questions. Others may have questions, too. Avoid touching anything to see if it's working or if it's full (knocking on barrels or tanks), and keep your eyes open for hoses or anything else that's lying around. Be sure to close doors after you: wines have to be kept at a cool temperature.
Sign the guest book. This way you can receive information about the winery's upcoming events. Tour the wine store and pick up some wine. You will find a much better selection here -- older vintages, small lots, experimental wines -- than you will find at any liquor store or even the winery's off-premise stores. There is an old joke: How do you make a small fortune in the wine business? Answer: Start with a large one. Remember, wineries are in business to make money. To show your gratitude for a tour and tasting, pick up a bottle or two of your favourite wines on the way out.
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 | Excerpted from The Wine Atlas of Canada by Tony Aspler. Copyright 2006 by Tony Aspler. Excerpted by permission of Random House Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. |
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