A wine tasting tour is a trip taken specifically for the purpose of tasting wines. Typically, such a trip takes place in wine country, a region where grapes are grown and wine is made. A wine tasting trip allows participants to sample hundreds of wines from various wineries, compare them to one another, and learn more about the region where the wines are produced. The tour is designed to broaden tasters’ palates, and it can also be enjoyable, as many wine-producing regions around the world are breathtakingly beautiful.
A wine tasting tour typically visits wineries, allowing tasters to see the winery and possibly meet the winemaker. In some cases, the tour stops at specific tasting rooms that serve wines from a single winery or a group of wineries. Organizing a wine tasting tour can be difficult because the organizer wants the participants to sample as many wines as possible while also balancing the desire to spend more time in some locations than others. The tour can be a one-day excursion or a multi-day adventure, and it usually includes lunch, dinner, and lodging.
Wine tasting tours can be divided into two categories. In one instance, a bus or limousine is rented to transport a large group of people on a tour. The wine tasting tour is usually organized by a private company, which sells seats on the bus to customers and determines the order in which wineries are visited. In another situation, a small group of people travels in a car or two, stopping at whatever wineries they want. For obvious reasons, the driver in both cases is expected to remain sober.
The tasters are not given full glasses because they will be sampling a variety of wines. A small sample of the wine is instead poured, allowing people to take a few sips. Tasters may choose to spit the wine after rolling it in their mouths in order to avoid becoming inebriated by the end of the day. It’s also fine to take a small sip and then pour the rest of the wine away. A small tasting fee may be charged in some cases, particularly if the winery has a large selection of wines to sample, but this fee will be waived if the tasters purchase wine.
A winery or tasting room is usually open to the public during specific hours. In other cases, you’ll need to make an appointment. Only-by-appointment wineries are usually small, and they don’t want to overcrowd their tasting rooms. The winery ensures that guests have a personalized and often intimate experience in the winery by requiring them to make appointments. In some cases, the winery may also provide tours of the lab and production rooms, which can be educational for those interested in learning more about the winemaking process.