I’m a big fan of attending wine events. Why? Because it’s a great way to learn about wine, do comparisons and in many cases, meet and speak with the actual wine makers there to promote their wines. Where else can you try so many different wines in a short amount of time?
At the recent Pinot Days 2009 held in Fort Mason, San Francisco, I was able to try many different Pinots within minutes of each other. Being able to compare the same varietal (and even the same clone!) across regions or vintages was very educational. I was able to talk to the actual winemakers (especially from the smaller producers) to understand the story behind some of their vintages. For me, this is a hugh bonus because I find that my appreciation for a bottle of wine increases the more I know about its journey from vineyard to wine bottle. It’s so similar to a person, where knowing their past helps you better understand a person’s character and personality, which makes things so much more interesting.
Okay, I’m straying off topic! Here are my top 7 tips if you plan on attending a public wine tasting event.
1) Identify the top 5 participating wineries you’d like to attend, and make sure you visit those first. Depending on how well-trained your palate is, you start to get diminishing returns (dulled palate, or you may just be too sloshed) after tasting more than 10 – 15 wines so make sure you hit your target wineries first
2) Arrive early! I can’t emphasize this enough. By being the first to arrive, everyone’s still fresh and eager to talk to you about their wines. If you show great interest in their wines, some may even have ‘special’ cellar bottles they may pour for you. And there is hardly a line for anything. Take a look at the picture below. It was taken about an hour after the recent Pinot Days 2009 started in San Francisco. A zoo!
3) Bring a backpack. This is very handy if you’re going to be picking up cards, magazines, brochures, etc. Event organizers usually hand out convenience bags but they are generally meant to be carried in hand. Believe me, you’ll want to make sure both hands are free so bring a backpack and stuff all the misc. handouts in there.
4) Bring your own glass and plate. Okay, this is optional but if you’re looking to maximize your wine tasting experience, bring your own special wine glass (to learn more about wine glasses, check out my guide to wine glasses). And if there will be food served, you’ll be the envy of everyone around you if you use a plate that also holds your wine glass. I’ve been to too many of these events where I have a wine glass in one hand, and a plate of food in another. With both hands full, I can’t pick up brochures, shake someone’s hand, write something down, take a picture, etc.
5) Bring your camera. Rather than writing down names of wine, it’s much easier and faster to just take a photo. What I do is take landscape shots of general stuff, and a portrait close-up of the wines I like. That way, I’m very quickly able to tell which wines I liked (the portrait shots of wine bottles) once I get home and upload the photos on to my computer.
6) Wear darker clothing, or those that you don’t mind if a few drops of wine on it. Yes, you know you will!
7) Spit! I used to swallow everything coz I paid good money for a ticket. Besides, it’s quite unsightly to spit into a cup or spittoon. But you know, I’ve found that I can sample more wines, and concentrate longer on tasting (that’s why we’re at the tasting event right?) if I spit.
Here are several more bonus tips. They’re really just common-sense rules.
- Start with whites first
- Designate a meeting point and time if you’re there in a group
- Smile and don’t try to impress anyone with how much you know! We’re all there to have a good time…
