Whether you’re a connoisseur of fine wine or an amateur in this area, a wine vacation sounds exciting. Doesn’t it? Unlike a bottle from the store, wineries offer an unparalleled immersive experience where you get to the literal roots of winemaking.
It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore the vineyard, understand the winemaking process, and meet with fellow wine lovers. According to Statista, over 70 large-scale wineries are currently in the US. Hundreds of medium and small-scale businesses also exist, often run by families from one generation to the other.
Are you strapping your boots to embark on a wine tour this year? If yes, then the Fall or the harvest season is the best time to do so. Since there is not much time for the Fall months to approach, let’s help you with the tour.
This article will discuss important tips to ensure you get the most out of your wine vacation.
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Don’t Have an Overpacked Schedule
Your wine tour may include a range of local wineries in the area, or you could be more ambitious and visit based on the type of wines you wish to taste. The latter will surely make for a more comprehensive and diverse winery experience.
However, it may come at the cost of distance and time. Wineries are usually located in the outskirts of cities and may be far apart, even within a domestic area. This is why our first tip involves keeping a light and achievable schedule.
In case all the wineries on your radar are located close to each other, you can visit up to five of them in a day. Otherwise, it is best to stick to two or three desired wineries from your list. Remember that you must make room for travel along with wine tasting, which may take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes.
Plus, a hearty lunch on the go must also be accounted for. Another compelling reason to visit fewer wineries in one trip is to preserve your taste and enjoy a more immersive experience.
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Watch What You Wear
Do wineries typically follow a dress code for their visitors? Not really. The atmosphere is usually high-end, but winemaking is a beautiful process of fancy farming. This means your clothes should be comfortable and practical.
By watching what you wear, we are not suggesting that only a suit-and-tie or a formal ball gown would do the trick. Though it is often recommended to dress classy, you can even don smart casual attire like dungarees, a t-shirt, and boots.
Winery visits often involve sitting on the ground or at a picnic table. If such is the case, long, flowy fabrics are more suitable. As for the shoes, avoid high heels unless they’re wedges or platforms. More practical options like sneakers and boots would be better. Depending on the Fall season of the area, you may have to dress in layers, including a cashmere scarf or light woolen overcoat for warmth.
Since we are speaking of what to wear, it’s important to mention perfumes. Avoid them, no matter how mild the aroma because the sense of smell plays a huge part in the wine tasting process. Even the mildest perfumes or colognes can interfere with the flavor of the wine. So, follow the cardinal rule of no scents.
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Ask Questions
We know that you may be all gooey inside, bursting forth with curiosity as to the wine’s origins and making process. Do not worry about asking any questions to feed your curiosity, regardless of how silly they seem.
According to the Lasseter Family Winery, a myriad of decisions culminate to produce any particular wine. For instance, these may involve the wine’s color, aromatics, flavor, etc. Even in the cellar, the winemaker may take cues from nature itself to create vintage masterpieces. Moreover, certain varieties may be fermented separately, whereas others may produce better wine with co-fermentation.
This is just to give you a hint of the plethora of intriguing aspects of winemaking. While you’re at the winery, listen closely to what the winemaker is saying, and when given the opportunity, ask curious questions. The staff are usually quite welcoming of questions that may expand your wine wisdom.
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Eat Well but Drink Mindfully
Were you planning to keep your stomach empty just so you could relish your wine-tasting experience a lot more? If yes, then you need to grab something to eat before reaching the winery. This is because consuming alcohol on an empty stomach is not advisable.
It speeds up the process of absorption in the blood. One possible reason for this could be the fact that the stomach and intestines are not involved in digestion. So, do remember to eat, or you may end up being more intoxicated than you originally planned.
Also, drink mindfully, so you don’t get too tipsy. Usually, around two to three ounces will be offered for tasting. If you’re covering several spots, consider spitting whenever possible. No, this will not come across as disrespectful to the winemaker. People do practice this to avoid being too tiddly.
A pro tip (and an important one) is to not drive your vehicle by yourself. If you do, you run the risk of being charged for intoxication. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine if you were to end up with a speeding ticket or one for running the red lights. Burnham Law Firm states that these can impact your insurance premiums, driving record, and overall driver freedom.
If the case turns out to be serious, you may not be allowed to go with just a penalty. A traffic and DWI/DUI attorney will have to intervene in your defense. It’s best to hire rental car services or a driver who would not be a part of the wine-tasting experience.
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Try Something New and Keep Notes
If you are a wine lover, there will surely be some favorites you’re craving to try. In that case, we would recommend taking a mild detour towards the unconventional. In other words, your wine tour will become a whole lot more memorable when you try out wines beyond your favorites.
Did you know that climate change is affecting wine flavors, too? Wineries are fighting against all odds to produce a variety of rich, fruity flavors. To your surprise, you might end up with a new favorite. Also, you are free to note down the striking aspects of your wine tour.
You may feel like that is a bit overstated, but by the third winery, things may get a little blurry. If you keep notes, it will help you with future wine education. For instance, note down whether all the wines you did not like were high in acid content. Similarly, were your favorite wines highly aromatic? Answering such questions in the form of notes helps with future reference.
The above-mentioned tips should open up your pathway to enjoying a pleasant wine vacation. In 2022, wineries across the US were visited by 13,204 people on average. The numbers may still be slim compared to the pre-pandemic period, but the industry is thriving. Perhaps you should embark on your tour to drive up the figures.