You will encounter easy-going, social people who are interested in wine, even if they don’t know much about it. We strive to make every tour fun, informative and memorable. I can guarantee that the tour will be louder at the end than when it began.
The short answer is: No.
The longer answer is: You need to know next to nothing about wine to enjoy a wine tour! At the same time, you can also be very knowledgeable and experienced in wine and it will be just as good an experience.
Everyone goes on a wine tour to learn about wine or to learn more about wine. It is actually quite amazing how everyone from beginner to expert gets different things out of every visit.
In reality, the most important thing about a wine tour is not the more or less technical tastings, it is meeting the people, the winemakers, seeing and smelling the wine cellars and vineyards. With all the wines you taste as an added benefit!
Wherever possible, tasting fees at wineries are included in our pricing. Our guides work together with the staff at each Tasting Room to ensure that your tastings are paid for. However, some wineries do offer the option to taste their premium or reserve series, port-style wines, and Icewine; these tastings are available for an additional charge — your guide can make the arrangements upon request.
We include a pre-paid 15% gratuity to safeguard the dignity of our guests at the conclusion of their tour. Often our guests are overwhelmed by the exceptional service received and our tour hosts receive wine or additional gratuities.
We strive to ensure that guests visit at their chosen wineries during the Tour. However, due to the large volume of visitors during peak touring season we may have to make last minute changes to planned itineraries. Our guides are proficient at maintaining a relaxing pace while trying to avoid wait times in popular Tasting Rooms.
Mornings are ideal for wine enthusiasts who enjoy exploring the sensory experience of wine tasting when your palate is at its most refreshed. With breakfast and lunch complete, afternoons provide a balanced approach to wine tasting while providing a relaxing interlude before dinner.
No, every Tasting Room provides a range of varietals representative of their production. If you are only interested in certain wines or have a distaste of particular varietals you are welcome to adhere to your personal tastes. Spittoons or “spit” buckets are conspicuously displayed on most wine bars if you prefer to “sip and spit” or if you need to pour out a sample.
We provide a complimentary bottle of water for each guest and we encourage that you keep hydrated during the Tour to provide balance to the alcoholic properties of the wines you will taste.
We do not allow dogs to accompany the tours unless they are registered service canines. Many wineries have working dogs in the wine shops or vineyards and often enjoy the attention of visitors.
Good walking shoes or strap-on sandals are strongly recommended especially where there are softer surfaces: sand, gravel, or grass and where there is a facility tour involved that may include stairs or a brief walk between the vines. Comfortable, weather-related clothing to ease the transition to/from our touring vehicles will ensure a carefree day of relaxation.