Tasting Room Etiquette
Many small, boutique wineries are family owned and operated. When visiting a wine tasting room consider yourself a guest. The owners and staff are proud of their facility and wines. They want everyone to enjoy their visit. Expectations in wine tasting rooms are different than at wine festivals or in bars. After visiting 1,000 wineries in the last seven years and talking with numerous wine hosts and visitors, we have created a selection of ideas to keep in mind when visiting a winery tasting room. Simple rules of etiquette can help to make the experience enjoyable for all.
Subtle Sophistication
The atmosphere in a winery tasting room is one of a subtle sophistication. While shorts and athletic shoes are acceptable so are semi-dress clothes. Do not wear perfume or cologne the day you are visiting winery tasting rooms. The fragrances will interfere with a wine’s aroma, not only for you, but also for those near you.
Conversational Tones
In the sophistication of a winery tasting room, loud outside voices are not appropriate. Conversational tones are perfect and fit in well with talking about the wines you taste and meeting other wine enthusiasts who have common interests. Do take the time to talk to other visitors. It is interesting to meet others with a passion for wine. Some people are very new to wine or visiting wineries. Never belittle someone for what they think about a wine. Do not act or sound like a wine snob. There are always those who know less and those who know more about wine than you.
Wine Limits
If you appear to be becoming intoxicated, the tasting room attendant is not permitted, by law, to serve you even if it is a tasting. Do not try to demand a tasting; drunken behavior is not acceptable. Wine is a beverage that should be appreciated as a social beverage and a accompaniment to food. Wineries deal with this behavior in different ways, most often you will be asked to leave.
Tasting Order
The wines for a tasting are presented in a particular order based upon the style of wine. Generally white wines are served before red wines and dry wines are served before sweet wines. If there are sweet wines on the tasting list, wait until they are served to taste them. Since the sweet wines are sweet the sugar will make dry wines tasted after sweet wines seem bitter.
“I don’t like that wine.”
It is fine if you choose not to drink a particular wine. Gently cover your wine glass with your fingers to indicate you do not want to taste a wine. It is so much more subtle than declaring, “I don’t like that wine.” Not all wine drinkers like all wines and wine hosts understand this. Visitors do not need to announce to everyone that they dislike a particular wine. Remember that it is perfectly acceptable for you to dislike a wine. However, keep in mind that the person next to you may very well enjoy it.
Crowded Tasting Rooms
Tasting rooms can be crowded on weekends. Weekdays are generally slower and wine hosts have more time to talk about the wines you taste. In either case, if the tasting room is busy, do not elbow your way to the tasting bar. When a tasting room is busy, consider stepping back to discuss your wine and enjoy the tasting while talking with other like-minded people. This gives others room to step up for a tasting. On busy days, some wineries will set up tasting tables or bars outside the tasting room. Give yourself plenty of time at a winery. Relax and enjoy the wine tasting and the ambiance of the tasting room. Many wineries have gift selections to browse while tasting wines. Take your time tasting and browse the offerings.
The Dump Bucket
What should you do with the wine in your glass you have tasted? If you do not want the rest of the wine in your glass, you can pour it into a dump bucket. It is really okay. In addition, it is a good idea to spit your wine into the bucket. However it might be easier to spit into a cup. Ask if there is a cup that you can use. You can then dump the contents from the cup into the dump bucket. Even though tastings are small, they do add up after a number of tastings.
Cheese/Crackers
Do you think wineries are being stingy when they set out tiny crackers or tiny bites of cheese? Remember this is not your lunch and scarfing down the food is not acceptable behavior. The purpose of the crackers, dips or cheese is to cleanse the palate and to help one decide how the wine pairs with food. Some wineries have “plates of cheese and charcuterie available for purchase to enjoy while tasting wines. Other wineries have restaurants, so if you want lunch check out the restaurant.