The Amateur Wino

Tell me if this sounds familiar:  it’s Friday night and once again you are scanning the wine aisle at your local grocery or specialty store for something new.  In fact you’ve been down this isle so much in the last month that not only can you help other shoppers find the shelf where the Merlot is stocked, but the store security guard knows you by name.  It’s time to branch out my friend.  I’d say you’re ready to move on to bigger and better, dare I say, classier things.

Now I’m not saying that it’s time to leave that grocery wine isle behind or to abandon it completely.  You must remember where your wine roots began, and usually it’s within that grocery isle.  Plus, it’s still going to be a great “go to” place to pick up a nice bottle for dinner or a bottle for the hostess as you’re on your way to a friends house.  However, if you are ready for some new and exciting adventures with wine (and I think you are) it’s time to start visiting and tasting at actual vineyards. 

Of course not everyone lives in the heart of
Napa right?  And trust me my fellow winos… no one wants to drive for hours to get home after a good tasting.  So just how is one to discover the wineries that are close to their area? 

Word of mouth is probably the fastest way to learn about wineries in your area.  Watch the paper for local farmer’s markets or special food related events.  Sometimes local vineyards will have a booth at these types of events.  When you are dining at a local restaurant, ask your waiter if they feature or carry any wines from local vineyards.  You’d be surprised how many might actually do so.  This may especially be true if  the restaurant is a smaller, non-chain type establishment.

WineWeb.com, an online database of 35,000 wineries and 200,000 Wines, is another great source for finding wineries in your area.  Among many of the features they offer, you can search for wineries in your area, or an area you are visiting, by using their advanced search by zip code option.  To do so simply click on the “advanced search” link located on their home page under “search wineries”.  Then select the “closest wineries” link under the world map on the next page.  From there you can enter your zip code and choose to see the closest 10, 25 or 50 wineries. This is also great if you will be taking a trip and want to visit a winery while you are in a particular area. 

Once you’ve found a winery with a tasting room that is close to you make it a point to stop in and do some tasting.  You can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $15 for a flight of 5 to 6 wines, and no you won’t be required to purchase a bottle.  So if you hate what you taste no worries, you won’t be stuck going home with something you don’t love.  Usually if I am visiting a winery and am not going to purchase a bottle right then and there I ask if they have a website or an email address where I can purchase from later.  This usually quiets the awkward “do you want to buy a bottle” silence that follows a less than stellar tasting. However, they may offer you a discount for purchasing in the tasting room so don’t be surprised if they don’t take your first “no thank you” to heart. 

Some wineries also offer monthly or quarterly wine clubs.  We’ll discuss wine clubs in more detail in another article, but even if you absolutely love the wine, don’t be too quick to join the club of the winery you are visiting.  There will be other wineries with other wines to taste and you might find one you like even better.  While there is nothing wrong with belonging to more than one club you definitely want to do your homework before joining.  It’s not uncommon for some wine clubs to require a minimum period of time for commitment to their club.  Not to mention you could end up overextending yourself where your “wine budget” comes in to play.  My husband and I just recently joined the wine club of a local vineyard in our area, however we tasted their wines several times and over a period of a couple of years before we actually made the commitment. 

Once you’ve visited a local winery you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll start to learn about others in your area or ones that may only be an hour or two away.  If you enjoy the vineyard experience, and I think you will, start planning more trips to visit some of those out of the way places.   My point is to get out there and explore you winos!  The possibilities are endless!

Until next time….. Happy Tasting!