We’re heading to Italy for 2 weeks in October - starting in Alba/Piedmont for 4 days… I’m currently setting up some visits to various producers… just wanted to get some advice about Italian etiquette at the wineries? Is there an expectation to buy? Is it generally rude not to buy? or is it rude to ask? Do frequent flyers generally bring thank you gifts?
any thoughts/comments appreciated
thanks
e
Hi Erik
There will a a number of different answers to this. I’ll try my best:
Yes it’s generally considered courteous to buy something, though in the past when flying with tight luggage restrictions, we didn’t always. Buying is seen by some as confirmation that you liked enough to buy. These days I try to organise less visits than bottles I can take back. Thus I’ll typically buy 1-3 bottles per visit, occasionally opening a bottle or two during the trip. I often also buy retail.
Courtesy to ask about local importers, and especially useful if nothing is on Wine Searcher, but might still be available.
Wineries do understand the limitations of flying, and whilst the Swiss and Germans can easily drive down and buy 1-3 cases from each winery, airline passengers can’t. The Piemontese are almost without exception gracious hosts, and would not treat those customers any differently.
Occasionally a winery may have no wine for sale, or very limited amounts, such that you may only be able to buy a single bottle.
Many do understand the ‘long game’, that a good experience for a visitor, may generate sales in their home country. Easy as well to see the endless positive experiences at Burlotto posted here and on other wine forums, being a factor in their increased profile.
Gifts? There are people that do bring gifts, and it’s a nice thought, but definitely not expected. The one winery we took gifts to, was a little family place in Ghemme. It was a return visit a couple of years after the 1st visit. They’d been so friendly & welcoming that we wanted to give them something by way of a thankyou. They were taken aback by this, good enough to accept, and very appreciative, however… somehow we ended up being given gifts in return. I swear if we’d have given them a Lancia, they’d have gifted us a Ferrari on leaving.
Some Italian wineries do charge for visits, but barring one (Foradori in Trentino) they’ve often been the most disappointing visits, changing that mindset from hospitality to a colder commercial arrangement. The ones that don’t charge have always been generous with time, putting out bread, water and usually some salami. One (Drei Dona) even gave us two library bottles from their cellar, just because we ‘took the effort to walk up the hill rather than calling them to pick us up!!!’
I hope this helps
Regards
Ian
Erik, in Burgundy now, there is an outfit called Cotes d’Or Imports that ships wines to the US. Many wineries will send wine directly to them (which means no VAT) and then they will consolidate and ship. You might try to find out if there is anything comparable in the Piedmont.
Thank you gentlemen… great comments and ideas