Vineyard Crawl: A Tasting Adventure
I had high hopes for my vineyard crawl two Thursdays ago. I was convinced I'd hit them all and drive back to LA unscathed.
"It's only tasting," I said to Billy. "You don't have to swallow it. And they're only ounce pours."
"You should get a driver," he said.
And so I did, sort of. Before I get to the vineyard reviews, here's an overview of tasting wine at vineyards, because it was new to me. This trip was the first time I'd ever been to a vineyard, and while it certainly won't be my last, I have to pause for a bit of social commentary.
Getting There
You definitely have to have a general idea of the area where you're going, and the random maps I downloaded were a bit vague. It would have been nice to have the mileage between vineyards; I found out later that some successive Santa Barbara County vineyards are 50 miles apart. My "There aren't that many, and they're all on the same road, so let's just go to the ones we like," approach didn't work.
There is a lot of beautiful territory. You'll be tempted to pull over and snap some pictures, like I did. Drive slowly and take it all in. Be careful when you pull over, though—I still have a nail in my tire.
Arrival
I found that vineyards and the people that work in them are just like the front of house staff in a restaurant. You find out quickly what the staff—and thereby the vineyard/restaurant—thinks about their guests when they first walk in. We've all been to restaurants where the staff ignores us upon our arrival, or appear to be far too busy doing nothing to help us. Hopefully, you've experienced the hospitality of a smaller (or just better-run) establishment. I experienced both this trip, and the hospitality I received from the staff played a big part in the decisions I made—and the money I spent—there.
If you visit a vineyard that offers tours, take advantage. I was thrilled to learn about the winemaking process. Seeing and touching the vines that produced a wine I tried just minutes later was an invigorating experience for a city girl.
Tasting
This is the part that most people actually care about. The vineyards charge small fees per person to taste five to seven wines, which are a mix of white and red. Some vineyards let you keep the logo Riedel glass; others do not. Luckily, two I visited did. They'll give you a tasting sheet with the wines you'll taste, in order, with their tasting notes and space to write your own. The staff will introduce the first wine on the list, pour you a small sample, and let you taste. When you're finished, they will pour you the next wine. That's generally how it goes. When you're done, they'll wash out your glass and wrap it up for you and wish you a good day.
Some vineyards had a small pitcher of water. Use this to pour a bit of water in your glass, swirl it around and dump it in the bucket. You only get one glass, and you don't want all the wines to taste the same. While tasting, you can definitely swallow, but spitting's the norm, and essential for drivers. It's also now okay to take a sip of the wine, then dump the rest out.
Getting Drunk—Or Not
If you swallow the wine, you'll eventually get drunk. This is because very few vineyards proactively give you water, crackers or anything that might buffer the rumblings of Gerwuztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon as they settle in your stomach. Your best bet is to bring a lunch with you and eat it at a vineyard picnic table. Better yet, eat a good breakfast beforehand and bring a lunch. Keep water in your car so you can rehydrate between vineyards. When all else fails, take a break and walk around the vineyard, or sit and take a rest and enjoy the scenery. Some vineyards even have trails you can hike.
Buying Wine
When tasting at a vineyard, ideally, you'll love a wine or two so much that you'll purchase a bottle to take home. I stress that this should only happen for bottles you genuinely enjoy, not wines you sort of liked and were pressured into buying. A vineyard is by no means a high-pressure sales environment; they're actually lucky in that their product sells or unsells itself. Be wary of your own spending habits, however, especially when you're intoxicated. You don't want to come back with a case and a half of syrah you'll never drink. That money's much better spent. However, if you truly do enjoy a wine, or are particularly impressed with the vineyard in general, feel free to buy wine to take home. From the vintner's perspective, this is exactly what the tastings are for.
To Wine Club or Not to Wine Club?
Many vineyards have their own wine clubs, where you can sign up to be a member and receive shipments of wine to your door from that vineyard. If you like the producer and you can afford it, go for it. Some wine clubs also have annual parties and other social events, so this can be a great way to meet people from all over the country.
"It's only tasting," I said to Billy. "You don't have to swallow it. And they're only ounce pours."
"You should get a driver," he said.
And so I did, sort of. Before I get to the vineyard reviews, here's an overview of tasting wine at vineyards, because it was new to me. This trip was the first time I'd ever been to a vineyard, and while it certainly won't be my last, I have to pause for a bit of social commentary.
Getting There
You definitely have to have a general idea of the area where you're going, and the random maps I downloaded were a bit vague. It would have been nice to have the mileage between vineyards; I found out later that some successive Santa Barbara County vineyards are 50 miles apart. My "There aren't that many, and they're all on the same road, so let's just go to the ones we like," approach didn't work.
There is a lot of beautiful territory. You'll be tempted to pull over and snap some pictures, like I did. Drive slowly and take it all in. Be careful when you pull over, though—I still have a nail in my tire.
Arrival
I found that vineyards and the people that work in them are just like the front of house staff in a restaurant. You find out quickly what the staff—and thereby the vineyard/restaurant—thinks about their guests when they first walk in. We've all been to restaurants where the staff ignores us upon our arrival, or appear to be far too busy doing nothing to help us. Hopefully, you've experienced the hospitality of a smaller (or just better-run) establishment. I experienced both this trip, and the hospitality I received from the staff played a big part in the decisions I made—and the money I spent—there.
If you visit a vineyard that offers tours, take advantage. I was thrilled to learn about the winemaking process. Seeing and touching the vines that produced a wine I tried just minutes later was an invigorating experience for a city girl.
Tasting
This is the part that most people actually care about. The vineyards charge small fees per person to taste five to seven wines, which are a mix of white and red. Some vineyards let you keep the logo Riedel glass; others do not. Luckily, two I visited did. They'll give you a tasting sheet with the wines you'll taste, in order, with their tasting notes and space to write your own. The staff will introduce the first wine on the list, pour you a small sample, and let you taste. When you're finished, they will pour you the next wine. That's generally how it goes. When you're done, they'll wash out your glass and wrap it up for you and wish you a good day.
Some vineyards had a small pitcher of water. Use this to pour a bit of water in your glass, swirl it around and dump it in the bucket. You only get one glass, and you don't want all the wines to taste the same. While tasting, you can definitely swallow, but spitting's the norm, and essential for drivers. It's also now okay to take a sip of the wine, then dump the rest out.
Getting Drunk—Or Not
If you swallow the wine, you'll eventually get drunk. This is because very few vineyards proactively give you water, crackers or anything that might buffer the rumblings of Gerwuztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon as they settle in your stomach. Your best bet is to bring a lunch with you and eat it at a vineyard picnic table. Better yet, eat a good breakfast beforehand and bring a lunch. Keep water in your car so you can rehydrate between vineyards. When all else fails, take a break and walk around the vineyard, or sit and take a rest and enjoy the scenery. Some vineyards even have trails you can hike.
Buying Wine
When tasting at a vineyard, ideally, you'll love a wine or two so much that you'll purchase a bottle to take home. I stress that this should only happen for bottles you genuinely enjoy, not wines you sort of liked and were pressured into buying. A vineyard is by no means a high-pressure sales environment; they're actually lucky in that their product sells or unsells itself. Be wary of your own spending habits, however, especially when you're intoxicated. You don't want to come back with a case and a half of syrah you'll never drink. That money's much better spent. However, if you truly do enjoy a wine, or are particularly impressed with the vineyard in general, feel free to buy wine to take home. From the vintner's perspective, this is exactly what the tastings are for.
To Wine Club or Not to Wine Club?
Many vineyards have their own wine clubs, where you can sign up to be a member and receive shipments of wine to your door from that vineyard. If you like the producer and you can afford it, go for it. Some wine clubs also have annual parties and other social events, so this can be a great way to meet people from all over the country.
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