Behind the Vines

Tasting Room Courtesy

by Farley on March 16th, 2008

I was born and raised in the south, so perhaps politeness comes to me as second nature.  As kids we were taught to say Thank you and Please, call people Ma’am and Sir (no matter their age), and give up our seats to the elderly. We open doors for strangers and pick up dropped items for those with their hands full.  These things happen everywhere, but there’s a reason for the name ‘the hospitality state.’ 

Hmmm, you’re wondering, what does this all have to do with wine?  Well, yesterday’s tasting room traffic had me and my co-workers floored.  What started off verrrry slowly—so much so that we thought everyone was enjoying St. Patrtick’s festivities in San Francisco and we would be dead— turned into one of the busiest days I’ve ever worked.  We had several large groups come in with no notice, and many, many small ones.  For several hours, the room was packed: three deep at some times.  Now, if you’ve been to Rosenblum, you know the tasting bar is long but without much space on either side.  We pourers trip over each other and customers have to stand close.  Except yesterday, with such a crowd and no spare room, some people were camped at the bar, tasting for far too long than it should take, and not making room for new guests.  Gail even made an announcement to “please take your pour and step back to allow others in,” which seemed to fall on deaf ears. 

Now, whenever I’m tasting, and I feel someone come up behind me, I step to the side or back, depending on the room. Not this group. Some people we had to ask to move over, and some people’s glasses we had to take away because they were repeatedly asking for the same wines from different people. We are very focused on responsible beverage service and communicate with one another, so no trying to trick us! One woman told LaMont he was rude because she couldn’t remember which wine she had just tasted (a sure sign she didn’t need anymore) and Pam commented that if she wanted to be a bartender, she would be one. The thing is, many people were treating the tasting room like a bar, often made evident by slugging back the pour and asking “what are we drinking next?” We attempt to lightly correct these remarks when it seems appropriate. Yesterday, however, there was something rank in the air or in the water. Maybe the nearby drinking holiday had people out of their element. I just know by the end of the day, my friends and I were all mentally and physically exhausted, definitely feeling worse for the wear.

I’ve come to anticipate this kind of behavior at a large tasting, but it was really shocking to see it in a winery. What gets me, other than the way some of us felt treated, is that people who only care about a buzz are ruining a good experience for customers who are serious about wine tasting. One rotten apple spoils the bunch and all that.

So, here’s my plea. If you want to taste wine and learn about it, while having fun in the process, come see us. If you’re in a party mood, and you want to get your drink on, please go to a bar. We’ll see you the next time around.

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POSTED IN: tasting room etiquette