Wine tourism seems to be the new buzzword these days when it comes to visiting a winery for fun. Actually, we just want to go there to taste the wine and experience the atmosphere, and maybe have a bite to eat.
So why all this ‘wine tourism’ joke? Well, look at it from the point of view of the wineries. You, and millions like you, are the bread and butter of these friendly businesses, of course, along with your wine sales, they NEED you as much as you want to visit them.
The wine industry has a lot to offer other than winemaking, which is why the word “tourism” is included next to it. Vast sub-industries are formed when wineries add areas of interest to their existing arsenal of wines that they now offer to the public. These areas encompass tours, tastings, wine clubs, restaurants, and even wedding ceremonies, all held in and around the winery itself.
With so many very high quality wineries producing excellent wines around the world, marketing your product is the number one goal. Therefore, in addition to selling wines to multinationals at discounted prices, they have a good opportunity – right at your back door – to get a better price, as well as to create that important ‘relationship’ with the client.
We all know that vineyards and wineries are romantic places, from those many movies depicting the sexy lifestyle. But really, having been in the prized position of managing a vineyard and winery, all I can say is that it’s a wonderful environment to be in, but with all the work required, barely sexy or even romantic. Sorry if I have misled you!
But, a winery is a must to experience the beauty of manicured vineyards in peaceful surroundings, and taste a dozen or more wines.
Here are some suggestions I would make when visiting a winery:
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Be an enthusiastic listener, because I can guarantee that the winemaker or other expert who will be speaking to you will be very enthusiastic.
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Be attentive and show that you are genuinely interested, so you will learn a lot from the tour.
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Your guide will explain the entire winemaking process from start to finish. If he’s a hobby winemaker, he can get tips and ideas and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Having an interaction makes it more fun for everyone in the tour group and everyone will get more out of the experience.
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Learn how grapes are processed and why a winery depends so much on a good laboratory.
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Look at the equipment involved, from pumps to storage tanks and everything in between. You will notice that many things are made of stainless steel, where white wine is involved, because it is the best from a hygienic point of view, as well as being strong and aesthetically beautiful.
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The tour will proceed, informing you about the yeasts and fermentation, filtration and bottling, identifying all the equipment used for each process. After bottling, the wine bottles will be labelled, again using a special machine.
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If it’s red wine, then you’re probably dealing with a barrel cellar. Find out how the different oaks used to make the barrels can drastically change the overall character of the red wine.
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In the end you will have heard a lot about wine, as we call it. All those words like ‘capitalizing’, ‘lees’ and ‘bad’ or ‘fruity’, ‘floral’, ‘fresh’ or ‘foxy’.
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Then comes the best part, where you get to taste the wine, ask questions and give your opinion while trying not to seem too intimidated. The more wines you try, the better your palate will get.
To taste a wine correctly: a) grasp the glass firmly by the stem, then b) shake the wine in a circular motion; this helps release the aromas for your nose to pick up c) then sniff deeply to capture the essence of the flavor d) and now what you’ve been waiting for, do it in style. Taste the wine slowly, analyzing the flavors while gently swirling it around in your mouth before swallowing (or spitting it out if you’re tasting a lot more!) - Finally, enjoy learning about the fascinating world of wine.
Establishing that important relationship between the consumer and the producer is a two-way affair, both benefit without the need for a middleman. So here’s to the continued success of wine tourism, romantic or not, visit it sometime, it’s a fantastic experience.