How many times have you walked into a tasting room and received a "cookie cutter" presentation? You know the drill, right? This wine is such and such. Stats on production and aging. Pour. Swirl. Sip. Onto the next. And so it goes.
There are times that this is not only appropriate, but preferred. If it's someone's first time at an establishment, we, in the Industry, have a duty, if you will, to explain who we are, what we do, how our winery may be different, etc.
If it's my guest's first time here, at Hansen, I want that individual to know that every grape that goes into our bottles has been pulled off of our estate vineyard. I want them to know that they would be hard-pressed to ever find a Rose' made out of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes again, and why. I want them to understand that when we say that a particular wine is a Zinfandel, for instance, that it's made from 100% Zinfandel grapes, and no other varietals (Bruce flips out if you use the "B" word in here...and no, not that "B" word...I mean BLEND).
It's no secret that our tasting room is off the beaten path, so I'd wager to guess that about 75% of our traffic is not the first timer. It's the existing Wine Club Member. They are often with guests in tow, coming "home" to visit with their beloved Bruce, and anxious to introduce their cohorts to this unruly character.
Undoubtedly, after walking in the door they will be telling stories of how "that one time we were here, Bruce took us back to the barrel room..." or "remember that time we stayed for five hours." Five hours at one winery?! Yep! Not unheard of!
And these guys and gals...these "family" members, if you will, are not going to ever receive a monotonous presentation.
Truth be told, even if you are a first time guest, you probably won't either!
You see, at Hansen Vineyards, there is really is no rhyme or reason. There is no formula or canned presentation. In fact, there are times that we don't even hand guests tasting sheets when they walk in the door! Why?! Well, because Bruce just happens to be pouring completely out of order that day!
It's not uncommon to find a plethora of library wines being served.
It's not too unorthodox to head onto our patio and just sit around in a semi-circle while Bruce takes a bottle or two of whatever wines are best agreeing with his palate that day and shares, family-style.
My favorite such quirky experience (to date), occurred just a couple of weekends ago. It was a Sunday, following a VERY busy Friday and Saturday and around three o'clock in the afternoon. Prior to these dear club members that had just walked in, we hadn't had many guests in the tasting room.
Bruce greets these recognized folks with a boisterous hello and hug, and says, "Come on out, you guys," leading them out into our barrel room. He turns to Pat and I, and says, "you girls come to, and bring a bottle of wine and some glasses for everyone. It's time to unwind the weekend."
We all get comfortable around a table and chairs and Bruce begins sharing some wine and hilarious stories. It's all going very mellow and then a car pulls up.
More club members! Awesome! I get out some more chairs, and expand our circle.
We all sit around visiting for around thirty minutes, figuring that at four o'clock, on a Sunday, we are probably pretty clear from receiving many more guests.
Murphy's Law!
Ten minutes later a car pulls up, and then another, and another, and then...you guessed it...another!
Before we know it, we are surrounded by 17 new faces, NONE of which had ever been to Hansen Vineyards before!
Now, I certainly could have brought our new guests back into the Tasting Room, rather than have them join the impromptu wine club party that was ensuing in the barrel room. We could have geared more towards that standard presentation of aging notes and sip, swirl, savor. I could have presented the tasting sheets, and ushered them in and out in a manner of twenty minutes, with a nice but generic presentation.
Not a chance!
These newbies quickly found themselves smack dab in the middle of a Bruce Hansen show. Everyone is hooting and hollering, and the wine is flowing. Before we know it, five thirty in the afternoon is nigh, and no one (myself included) wants to leave.
Our new guests have quickly become part of the heart, part of the soul, part of the "no rhyme or reason" Hansen Vineyards mantra.
And, truthfully, we wouldn't want it any other way!
