Every winery in the world is unique. They each have their own personality and philosophy when it comes to growing grapes and making wine. Each visitor's experience is subjective based on individual taste. We endeavor to standardize what makes a great Visitor Experience at wineries based on 3 primary factors.
The first factor is customer service and knowledge. Working in a winery's tasting room requires a lot of knowledge about a very complex process. What's more, the customers who walk through the doors have a wildly varying degree of knowledge themselves. The front line pourers have to be well trained, well informed, and able to answer a lot of questions, from the stupid to the absurd. The quality of the pourer will make or break your visit. This area is allotted 50 points.
The second factor is tasting room atmosphere, design & set-up. This is a very broad category, and easy to get points in. We've tasted wine everywhere from a card table on a carport to a 5-star hotel like atmosphere. Both are totally acceptable. In some ways, I prefer the less opulent experience, knowing that every dollar spent on marble floors and crystal chandeliers means that the price of the wine is going up. It's small things like is good lighting and a white surface (even a sheet of paper) so that visitors can see the color of the wine really clearly. This area is allotted 25 points.
The third factor is pour temperature, quantity, and stemware. I am really picky about this part of the winery experience. And it is an area that wineries frequently get horribly wrong, and is so easy to get right. Keep your wines at the right temperature. Pour enough in a glass so that I can have 2-3 sips. Serve it in an appropriately sized and shaped glass. High end brands are really nice, especially when visitors get to take it home, but a large glass with a 1oz pour in it makes it awfully difficult to small the bouquet of a wine. This area is allotted 25 points.
Combined, these 3 areas are worth a total of 100 points. You may be saying to yourself, "The quality of the wines aren't even a factor?!" and you'd be right. Wines are even more subjective than experience. So instead, we'll tell you the type of wines you can expect to taste here. That way, if you like serious, complex reds or fruity, sweet whites, you'll know what to expect if you are planning a visit. Also, if there are extra amenities available, like food to eat, or a pet friendly policy, we'll make a point of telling you that, too.
The second factor is tasting room atmosphere, design & set-up. This is a very broad category, and easy to get points in. We've tasted wine everywhere from a card table on a carport to a 5-star hotel like atmosphere. Both are totally acceptable. In some ways, I prefer the less opulent experience, knowing that every dollar spent on marble floors and crystal chandeliers means that the price of the wine is going up. It's small things like is good lighting and a white surface (even a sheet of paper) so that visitors can see the color of the wine really clearly. This area is allotted 25 points.
The third factor is pour temperature, quantity, and stemware. I am really picky about this part of the winery experience. And it is an area that wineries frequently get horribly wrong, and is so easy to get right. Keep your wines at the right temperature. Pour enough in a glass so that I can have 2-3 sips. Serve it in an appropriately sized and shaped glass. High end brands are really nice, especially when visitors get to take it home, but a large glass with a 1oz pour in it makes it awfully difficult to small the bouquet of a wine. This area is allotted 25 points.
Combined, these 3 areas are worth a total of 100 points. You may be saying to yourself, "The quality of the wines aren't even a factor?!" and you'd be right. Wines are even more subjective than experience. So instead, we'll tell you the type of wines you can expect to taste here. That way, if you like serious, complex reds or fruity, sweet whites, you'll know what to expect if you are planning a visit. Also, if there are extra amenities available, like food to eat, or a pet friendly policy, we'll make a point of telling you that, too.