There is certainly a culture of visiting wineries. However, if you search ‘winery etiquette’ online you will find results that seem to address this specific topic. I have found some good ones for sure. However, when reading through, most of them talk about how to taste wine. While that is a very important part of the experience, it is not the only part. Another important factor is one’s behavior while visiting a winery. From start to finish, how we behave, as in most, if not all, public spaces determines how pleasant of an experience we will have. Not only us as the visitor, but other visitors, patrons and workers as well.
There are no set rules for etiquette when visiting a winery but these are just a few pointers I have found to make everyone’s experience better.
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Speak when entering
Now this may seem trite and commonsensical, but it is important.
The one thing you don’t want to happen is that someone takes your vibe upon entry as closed off and stale. Greet the staffers behind the bar at the very least. What this does is makes them want to talk to you even more. It makes them open up and it causes trust to begin upon entry. Why should you trust them and they trust you? Most importantly, because your safety is paramount. They are there to serve you, this is true. But they must be sure that you are safe. We are talking about liquor after all, so if you pass your limit, then those excellent wine stewards can put into action their people stewardship to take care of you. Another reason is because they will be open to answering all of your questions, connecting with you and connecting you with others. This has certainly helped me with starting this blog.
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Know thy limit
I know, I know, we are all adults here, right? In the U.S. you must be at a minimum of 21 years of age to drink, legally.. While this is true, we are talking about more than being an adult. It is about etiquette and even more, safety. Knowing your limit keeps you and those around you safe. You do want to be safe and keep others safe right?! Not only are we at risk when driving under the influence of ANY amount of alcohol (taking into consideration how much we’ve had to eat, medications, lack of proper rest, etc.), but also how we respond to others and situations. Now I’m not talking about a bar fight, because gratefully, I have never seen any harmful situations arise at the many wineries I have visited. However, we want to keep it that way. But lots of people don’t think before they act as it is, so when any type of alcohol is involved, it increases the risk. This also refers back to etiquette tip number one (1). Speak when entering. You have opened this line of communication by speaking to the staffers, so they are looking out for you. Don’t be afraid to tell them that you don’t drink a lot. They will know when to suggest you slow down or to offer water or other ways of dialing back.
*Bonus: Some wine servers will cut you off knowing that you have reached their limit. Don’t forget, this is their livelihood.
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Be aware of your surroundings
This one goes for wherever or whatever you are doing. However, at wineries, when libations are involved, be aware. Not paranoid. Trust me, I have been there, done that, it just ruins the experience. But be aware just in case you need to provide information for any reason. I don’t want to plant ideas here, so I will pretty much leave it at this….know how you got there, transportation and route. Know what the outside and inside of the building looks like. Know the people, who you’re with as well as a general description of who came and who left. In addition, know what to say to whom. We get what I like to call ‘loose’ when we’re relaxed to a point. Going back to knowing your limit, be aware of who you’re telling what to. I have had an experience where someone was repeatedly asking personal questions. I handled this by vaguely responding until I had to say, “I’m good” and clarifying that they got the hint.
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Look out for others
Looking out for someone else is not something that you have to do. It is not your responsibility. But I like to think of it this way. If this were someone I cared about, wouldn’t I want someone else to look out for them when I wasn’t around? Sometimes it is as simple as making eye contact and asking, “How are you?”. You would be surprised how this can slow a person down and make them rethink their own actions. Maybe they wanted that next drink and instead they responded to your question with, “I’m ok, I just need some water.”. You have looked out for them. You have been a good human.
In conclusion, I have had many wonderful experiences while visiting wineries. I’ve also had some not so great experiences. These considerations for etiquette are not difficult, but can be very helpful. I am sure that if you remember these four short phrases you will enjoy your winery experience even more and so will those around you. There is definitely a culture of visiting wineries, just as there is when attending church or a sporting event. So let’s practice being kind and considerate human beings. Hopefully you found these tips helpful and will pass them along as well.
Also, click here to check out my post called 6 Tips for Visiting Wineries for more ideas on how to make your winery experience a positively memorable one. Don’t forget to share these posts so that we can all have good experiences and continue to build a great Culture of Visiting Wineries.
Stay Amazing,
The Wine Guy- B.
