The Perfect Wine Tasting Experience

I like wine. I like the smell — the taste bud-popping feeling as it slides across my tongue and down my throat — the expected finish as I seek to identify the promised flavors and notes that every wine bottle label declares will be my reward for partaking in the particular contents of that bottle. That being said, one of my favorite activities is winery-hopping. I’m fortunate in that my husband is a teetotaler — the eternal designated driver. Whether traveling alone together as a couple or in the company of like-minded imbibers, we ride safely through the highways and byways of wine country — sipping and tasting as we go. I have a bit of experience under my belt. I’ve been to wineries in the Napa valley of California, the Lake Erie Region, the Finger Lakes region of New York, Niagara Falls in Canada, up and down the east coast of the United States, as well as having enjoyed an assortment of wineries in Italy, France and Spain. So, like I said, I know what I like when it comes to wine. I also know what I like when it comes to wine tasting venues. The Wine Industry is an Amazing Enigma I’ve always been amazed at the whole winery industry. When you consider the cost of land to grow the grapes, the constant potential for destructive weather events that could wipe out years of profit, the overall cost of producing wine from those grapes, and the whole distribution chain needed to get that wine to market, it’s really pretty astounding that these wonderful gems have existed for so long and still seem to pop up all over the world. While I’m grateful for the proliferation of wineries to indulge my love of wine, I am not a pushover when it comes to judging the overall appeal of my wine tasting venue. You might think I’m about to extol the virtues of all those fancy, upscale boutique-style winery tasting rooms that are the realm of many self-declared wine snobs. Well, yes and no. Yes, I do occasionally enjoy the atmosphere of sparkling tasting rooms where extremely knowledgeable wine servers spout out the history of the winery along with every minute fact about the grapes, the varietal of the vintage and the characteristics of each batch of wine produced. Along with the glitz and glamour or these wineries is usually a hefty price tag on each bottle of wine they offer. I am not convinced that you can judge the quality of the wine by the price tag. I tend to think the price is driven more by the cost of production and the aspirations of the vintner than it is by the palate pleasing taste of the wine itself. No, I do not consider myself to be a wine snob. In fact, my first experience at a wine tasting event took place in a humble log cabin, somewhere in the backwoods of Maine, where an elderly woman proudly pulled eight bottles of her finest from somewhere under a rickety wooden table. She poured a generous sample of each one, explaining the history of her small winery to me while her equally ancient, floppy-eared beagle, Quincy, eyed me with embarrassing affection, begging for a little attention of his own. Sadly, for me, I was only able to purchase three bottles. I was returning home on an airplane and three bottles was all I could squeeze into my luggage. At the time, I lived in a state that prohibited wine from being shipped in from out of state. (Much to my delight, that restriction has since been lifted. If I ever return to Maine and can track down that backwoods winery where I’m sure the original residents have passed on, I will gladly ship a case or two back home.)

The Essential Ingredients for a Proper Wine Tasting Venue First, knowledgeable, outgoing personnel is a key element of any winery. I once walked into a winery asking to sample their Cabernet Sauvignon. The clueless server behind the counter asked (I am deadly serious about this) — “Is that a white or a red?” Needless to say, after pointing out the wine in question and sampling it, I walked out without a purchase. Knowledgeable wine servers are eager to engage you in conversation and impress you with their stories. They will often keep you entertained with anecdotes about the wine, the history of the vineyards (rumors of supernatural sightings are not unheard of), and the various components that have gone into the making of each wine. If they succeed in their duties, you will almost certainly feel obligated to purchase a bottle, a case, or a wine club membership from their establishment. This is one occupation where being a people person is a huge key to success.

Wine Labels are more than just a Piece of Paper Slapped on a Bottle

Yes, you can judge a book (err, make that a wine bottle) by its cover. If you doubt that statement, just walk into a winery or your favorite wine and liquor store. See where your eyes naturally gravitate. Wine labels are an artistic expression like no other. It is my personal opinion that a vintner who believes strongly in the quality and appeal of the product will go the extra mile to create a memorable label that pulls the consumer in with its unique style and unforgettable presentation. I am rarely disappointed when I allow a label to influence my purchase. I am drawn in by the artistry and I am hooked when the label gives me just a little more information as my take-away from my wine tasting time. A two sentence history of the wine makes me feel like a part of the wine family. A suggestion as to what notes or finishes I should expect to taste excites me. A bonus bit of information for me (yeah, I’m a little obsessive with my wines) is when a label shows the sweetness scale on the label. I may not always remember that a particular winery’s Chamboursin is semi-dry or semi-sweet, but I will always look for that information when I go to pour my first glass. I Love my Wine but I Still Want More The wine experience is wonderful. My mouth is a happy place when I’m tasting wine. But, you know what makes it even better? A little something to pair it with. — A bite of dark chocolate paired with a Merlot — A piece of cheddar with a Cabernet Sauvignon — A couple of almonds paired with a Chardonnay Get the idea? Pairing creates a complete experience. It allows the wine to become a part of your overall diet. This, I believe, is the way many European countries have come to incorporate wine as a healthy element in the diet. Any winery that can pull off this experience for me is likely to have a regular customer in their store and an enthusiastic ambassador outside their store. So, What is my Favorite Wine Sorry, if you read through all of this in the hope of getting my endorsement for the perfect wine (or, at least, what I consider to be the perfect wine), you will leave here disappointed. I am a firm believer that the best wine, with or without a proper pairing, is the wine YOU like. The world of wine tasting is a magical, mystical place. The same grapes processed at the same winery today may not appeal to you in the same way as that same grape at the same winery appealed to you two seasons ago. Wine is fickle. Okay, I am fickle, as well. That’s why you’ll find me touring wine country, again and again, in search of today’s perfect wine.