Do's & Don'ts

One summer, I got a plethora of requests for advice regarding places to go and things to know when wine tasting in Northern California.  The frequency of the requests finally compelled me to write a book. What started as some anecdotal advice took on the form of a mental regurgitation of all that I can remember having learned in my obsession with wine. Contained herein are a small handful of excerpts (planning, visiting, tasting activities related to your expedition). 


When planning your wine tasting sojourn…

Do…

• Find very good maps of the region.
• Make a list of wineries you want to visit for each day of the trip.
• Consider taking a tour of the winery.  
• Plan on packing a light or picnic-style lunch.
• Pick a winery at which to have lunch.
• Plan to spend money on wine.  (1 - 2.5 times what is spent on food & lodging)
• Plan on the logistics of returning home with all that wine.
• Expect to join wine clubs.

Don't...

• Don't use a wine tour bus or limousine service.
• Don't plan on touring parts of the Napa Valley on the weekends.

When visiting wineries for wine tasting...

Do...

• Eat a hearty breakfast!
• Take a Vitamin B-complex at the beginning of the day.
• Carry and consume copious amounts of water. (1 oz. water for 1 oz. wine)
• Take notes!
• Carry cash for tasting room fees.
• Respect the fact that wine-making is an art and you may be interacting with the artist. Be gentle with their egos...

Don't ...

• Don't feel the need to buy something at every winery.
• Don't be embarrassed to ask questions about the wine.
• Don't be reluctant to make appointments for tastings!
• Don't try to impress the staff with your encyclopedic knowledge of the movie Sideways.

When wine tasting...

Do...

• Respect the basics of wine tasting! 
• Swirl
• Sniff
• Sip
• Spit/Swallow
• Hold your glass by the stem or the base.
• Serve the wine at the appropriate temperatures
• Cleanse your palate prior to tasting when possible.
• Remember that this experience is about wine tasting, not wine drinking!
• Have an open mind about varietals.
• Taste white wine before red wine.
• Remember that the right glass is everything! Take your own, if you want!
• Use a wine charm to identify your glass, if you bring your own.
• Train your nose to recognize smells.
• Ask if they have a reserve tasting available prior to tasting anything.

Don't...

• Don't do anything to ruin your palate during wine tasting.
• Don't wear cologne or perfume.
• Don't spend the day tasting "nothing but {insert varietal}".
• Don't rinse your glass with water!
• Don't ever serve a wine without smelling or tasting it first.