Early Morning Tasting Appointments At Wineries

I have pretty much tightened up my tasting appointment for my impending assault on Napa Valley in October. I have three tastings that start at 10:00 and one a 10:30. Some wineries start even earlier that are open to the general public. Outside of a wine trip, and in the real world, I would almost never start drinking wine this early.

Should wineries be open this early?

yes?

Bill,
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Just think of all the people like yourself that are trying to get in as many wineries as they can in a short amount of time. Close to the Bay area, there are probably a lot of restaurant people that make day trips up to the valley that couldn’t do it any there time. I guess its no different than liquor stores be open at 8am

We prefer serious tasters to come by before we open to the general public, when their palate’s are still fresh.

And come on, dude. You should be sippin’ on Gruner at 9am with eggs before you start tasting reds at 10am! Get with the program!

You’re on vacation…time should not matter (daytime…and nitetime!)

Ray T. said that Champagne worked with eggs and bacon.

All about spitting early and drinking late…

Last June, We starting throwing down with Mike O around 930am. 16%+ Zins and no spitting. [training.gif]
Breakfast of Champions. [whistle.gif]
Not something I could or would want to do everyday.
Less I started spitting.

I think it’s great. When I’m in wine country I’m tempted to drink whatever bottles might be in my room so knowing I am heading out to a winery is good enough to keep me off of them. Plus they are up working and what else would you be doing? Love getting some non-tourist time with the staff also.

Bingo. [winner.gif]

I have found that if I don’t start tasting that early, I can’t fit in 3 appointments a day, plus lunch…so while I don’t usually drink that early, it is vacation, so I take one for the team [wink.gif]

Hey, if you don’t start drinking first thing in the morning, you can’t drink all day. [whistle.gif]

Nappy time about 12:30?

Yeah right. I am booked solid from 10 to 4 everyday…allowing a nice hour and a half for lunches.

Yep.

Bill,

Great Avatar!

I have had tasting appts as early as 9am. Like Cris said, most winemakers have no problems with meeting an ITB’er or a serious customer early for tasting, as it’s more of a serious session rather than just hanging and drinking.

Frankly I am bummed out and sometimes even a little upset when I schedule an appointment and just get stuck in the tasting room with a sales manager. I want barrel samples!