Upon entering the wine tasting room, the host will greet you with several wine samples. The host will serve a sample and describe both the smell and the taste. Hold the glass to the light and observe the color. Clean, bright color means quality.
Tilt the moon slightly to one side. Younger wines will maintain a uniform color at all times, while older wines will lose their color and become translucent close to. It's easy to get caught up in the romance of visiting the wine country and even easier to get a quick buzz drinking everything on offer. But things can get sloppy fast.
And, hey, we've all been there. Step: Set Your Path. Each winery has different booking restrictions, but the general rule to follow starts with groups of 8 or more. Get in touch with each winery you plan to visit.
When planning your route, plan an hour or so between each stop so you have time to try, shop, take pictures, go to the bathroom, and travel. Visit our website, winery websites and Facebook pages to choose which ones you would like to visit. If you haven't done all that, if you haven't been guided through the different parts of a winery and you're interested in the winemaking process and the looks behind the curtain, then, of course, sign up for some tours. Walk around wineries big and small and ask a lot of questions.
And keep your hands still. And bring a light sweater, because it might be a little cold. But if you've made enough visits, don't feel obligated to continue doing them just because you're planning more winery tours. While some barrel rooms are impressive to behold, due to their configuration or dramatic lighting, in the end they are huge rooms stacked with rows of oak barrels.
Vineyards can be beautiful, but their beauty often depends on topography. The mountains help. At that time, when the tour is not the draw, what is it? The wine, of course. Spending time in the tasting room, tasting the wines, and talking to the people who work there, is often enough to create a memorable visit.
Does the winery's tasting room stand out for one reason or another? Is the winery old and shady? Is it contemporary and sober? Do you have a restaurant? Can you have a picnic there? Some wineries have impressive art collections or postcard views, and the view alone can make a visit worthwhile. Others have plots where you can explore other terrains in addition to the rows of vineyards in the vineyards. Maybe there's a small museum with old winemaking equipment. Maybe an army of ducks will come to the vineyard every day to eat bugs and protect the vines.
Once you know which of these things interest you, in addition to tasting wine in the tasting room, you will know how to plan your visits. Do I have to make a reservation? In most cases, yes. It's best to visit the winery's website or call them to see if they require or suggest reservations. Most wineries offer seated tasting experiences with a flight of wine and some offer snacks or small snacks to enjoy with your wine.
Some wineries will do their best to accommodate walk-in visitors, but to make sure you have a spot, reservations are your best bet. If you are traveling in a group of six or more people, booking is almost always necessary. You have the maps of your winery, ate some food, prepared lunch, snacks and water, received your special offers and you have an extra cooler for any wine purchase you could make, and now it's time to hit the road and visit a winery. While some wineries allow visitors during the winter months, when the vines are inactive, you'll miss the incredible experience of walking through the rows of vines with the fruit hanging heavily as far as the eye can see.
The purpose of a wine tour is not only to have fun with friends or family, but also to experience the area, the wineries and taste wines that you would not otherwise taste. Some wineries have impressive art collections or postcard views, and the view alone can make a visit worthwhile. A visit to the wine region should leave you feeling wonderful, having ridden waves of joy red, white and bright, every tasting memorable, every moment unique and, best of all, without embarrassing mistakes. Yes, some wineries have a long bar and large open space, mood lighting and music, but that doesn't mean you're in a nightclub.
Some wineries offer live music or gourmet meals on certain dates, and some tour operators plan meals or other extras as part of their tour package. . .
