Weekdays are a great time for a summer visit to the tasting rooms of the Calaveras wineries (be sure to check that they are open, though). There are fewer visitors, winery principals often staff the tasting rooms, the conversations are deeper and the experience is all-around more rewarding (for both the tasting room host and the visitors!)
I was working in our Murphys tasting room on a Thursday and established new friendships with several new visitors. A couple of the more interesting stories:
- a gentleman from Austria was an early visitor (the accent was a challenge, but I'm sure he felt the same about me!) We talked about the growth of both the Austrian and California wine industries and what Foothills varietals have the greatest parallels to Austrian grapes. After finishing his tasting, he reached for his wallet and asked "what do I owe you?"
"Nothing."
"I mean for the tasting?"
"Nothing. We don't charge for tastings here. Welcome to 'Not Napa." He bought a couple of bottles and left to meet his wife with a big smile on his face. Unexpected pleasures will do that.
- A young couple came in who were just getting into wine drinking. As a result, they focused on the more fruit-forward, off-dry offerings we produce, but were game about tasting the more complex wines as well. The conversation turned to the point that this was a big weekend for the couple as the young man was about to meet his girlfriend's parents for the first time the following day. We chatted a bit about strategies for making a good first impression on the prospective in-laws (sometimes tasting rooms dissolve into the "bar psychologist" scene, but that's okay!). I asked him if he was nervous and he replied: "the more wines I taste, the less nervous I get." Great answer. It's also the first time I've been asked to help someone select a "wine to meet the girl friend's parents by."
I hope I chose wisely - this is a big responsibility to have resting on my selection. I asked them to let me know how the meeting went. We'll see; we all felt good about the prospects.
It's the Foothills way of life - just a little slower, just a little more friendly, just a little better wines. Come on up and make your own new connections!