What Makes a Good Tasting Experience?

Before I get into the evaluation of the various tasting rooms I recently visited, I thought it would make sense to provide some insight into my thinking about what goes into a good tasting experience.

Let me break down the elements of a tasting experience in this way:

A. Wine (50-75%)

1. Wine Quality
2. Wine Value
3. Wine Variety/Innovation
4. Wine Availability

B. Tasting Experience (20-25%)

1. Host/Pourer
2. Tasting Fees
3. Customization of Experience

C. Winery Setting (5-20%)

1. Tasting Room Setting/Ambience
2. Crowd Factor

D. Extras (0-15%)

1. Tasting Room Amenities (food, etc.)
2. Integrated Outdoor and/or Picnic Opportunities
3. Other

An Unscientific Method: The Problem With Repeatable Experiences

It is important to note that two people can visit the same winery on the same day and have completely different experiences. Two elements of the experience are highly variable and can significantly impact the experience: the host/pourer and the crowd factor. A third factor is also often in play and is usually a result of these two: the customization of the experience. By customization of the experience I mean that if a winery is crowded and the taster is deemed indifferent (i.e., displays a preference for consumption of alcohol in general over any attempt to learn the particular merits of various offerings) the host will tend to say very little and seek only to fill glasses for the standard wines and hope that the taster moves on sooner rather than later.

On the other hand, if the winery is not crowded, the host is empowered to do what he or she wishes, and the taster demonstrates significant knowledge and interest in the wines, then suddenly premium wines not on the standard tasting list will magically appear, barrel samples may be offered, tasting fees may be waived, the winemaker may come out and say hello, and you might even be invited in to meet the owner’s family. It all depends on where you are, how you present yourself, and whether you happen to be there on the right day. As you can imagine, if you are a wine club member, show up on a Tuesday afternoon in February, and engage the host in a discussion about the subtle differences between what your tasting and the three vintages of the same wine you have in your cellar at home, the odds of something good happening will be in your favor.

In summary, some of the elements of a tasting experience are fairly standard from one tasting to the next (setting, quality of the wines, fees, gift store amenities), some vary a little each time (wines available to taste, customization of experience, etc.), and some can vary a great deal from tasting to tasting (the host/pourer and the crowd factor, in particular.)

Wine

What is a great tasting experience? For me, it starts with great wines. Ideally, these wines are free to taste or if there is a fee, it is applied to any purchase you make (a practice that appears to be on the decline, I am sad to say.) It also helps if you can taste everything, including the single vineyard premium wines, so you are not just sampling the mass production runs while the good stuff sits under lock and key. From the list of wines to taste, there should be a balance of pricey and affordable wines, so you can take home whatever fits your budget. I like to see a solid mix of red and white varietals, but this is not a requirement. What is important is variety and what I refer to above as ‘innovation.’ If every winery in a ten mile radius offers pinot noir and chardonnay, then I’m not going to be impressed by a winery that offers only those two grapes (even if the winery is Kistler.) What I like to see are some unusual varietals, some interesting blends and maybe some grapes that are purchased from a good distance away so that the winemaker can experiment with something that will not be available down the road. It may just be me, but I prefer an innovative near miss to a carbon copy hit.

Tasting Experience

The host can be merely a glass filler or a tour guide and story teller who can unlock the secrets behind what you are drinking – and more. Ultimately it is the host who decides whether or not to try to customize your experience and how much liberty to take with throwing some extras your way. As noted above, it is important for you to make it easy for them to do so. It won’t always happen, but you need to leave the door open for them. Finally, if you’ve been lucky enough to strike up a good relationship with the host, don’t be shy about asking their opinions about other wineries to visit. The best way to discover those hidden gems is by asking a local who knows exactly what you like and can point you in the right direction: the host. Had it not been for a host at Balletto, for instance, I would never have discovered Harvest Moon.

Winery Setting

The winery and tasting room setting will provide the context for your experience. Iron Horse likes to pour outside so you can drink in their Tuscan vistas; Gary Farrell sits on a hill with a sweeping views of Russian River; and Lynmar has an inviting open patio where you sit almost on top of the vines. Of course, all this can be ruined by crowds. If you see a tour bus outside the tasting room, you are usually better served to come back another time. Most wineries with a well known brand name will generally be too crowded for my taste on weekends; this is where it pays to know some of the smaller wineries that require appointments and/or cater to a more discerning crowd.

Extras

On some days it is nice to be able to grab some food and have a picnic outdoors. Some wineries oblige in the food department; others provide spaces to relax and eat outside. The problem is that most of the wineries that have the best amenities are also those that draw the largest crowds and the most tour buses.

So now that you know most of my biases, it is time to turn to the wineries themselves.