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- I’ve been a server at a winery for years, so I’ve seen guests make their fair share of mistakes.
- A tasting is an opportunity to expand your horizons, so try a wine you don’t think you’ll like.
- Customers should tip the staff in a tasting room just like they would at a restaurant.
As a server, I’ve always thought of a wine tasting as an opportunity to share my love for the alcoholic beverage with others. However, tastings are pretty important for the wineries, too — Silicon Valley Bank found that in 2023, tasting rooms made up 31% of total sales at premium wineries.
Needless to say, I always aim to ensure my guests have the best tasting-room experience possible. I started out at David Hill Vineyards and Winery in Forest Grove, Oregon, as a dishwasher and worked my way up to tasting-room associate — a fancy title for a server — over seven years.
Throughout my time at the company, I’ve seen almost everything, from the wannabe wine sommelier to the guests who think a tasting is an excuse to get drunk with a view.