To me it’s all about the experience. YES, I enjoy the wine and bubbly too, but if the experience isn’t great, the bubbly isn’t great! If you agree, keep reading.

Bubbly Side of Life came to life at a Bubbles Fest event…talk about my HAPPY PLACE! A room of 20 wineries all serving up their sparkling wine…does it get better?!

The experience was fun. The experience stuck with me. The experience created the path for this business.

Now I also should admit here that I am a SUCKER for a wine club. There is something so fun about belonging to a group that revolves around wine and celebrating together the release of new wines. So. Much. Fun.

Needless to say, if I don’t enjoy my experience at a winery, I don’t join the wine club nor do I enjoy the wine. (Ok, while I might enjoy the wine, I typically do not buy it.)

In order to share my experiences with you, I decided to make the teacher in me happy and when I visit wineries, grade the experience. Hopefully that helps you to create a short list of places to visit when you’re mapping out a wine adventure.

Ambience:

  • Is it welcoming?
  • Is it a place I’d want to POP a bottle to sit and enjoy with friends?
  • Does it have an inviting outdoor area?
  • Is the tasting room spacious enough so you don’t feel like you’re standing on top of each other?
  • Bonus points for a fun gift shop.

Service:

  • Are we greeted when we enter?
  • Are we welcomed up to the tasting room bar?
  • Are they pouring your tastes in a timely manner?  (They don’t forget about you and you have empty glasses for a while or the opposite, they don’t stand over you with your next tasting waiting for you to chug the one you have in hand.)
  • Are they sharing, chatting, educating you on the wine and the property?
  • Are they offering extras?  Food? Wine club? A glass or bottle?
  • Bonus points for those who give an extra tasting when you’ve completed yours already.

Selection of Bubbly:

  • 6+ different types = 5 full glasses
  • 3-5 different types = 4 full glasses
  • 2 different types = 3 full glasses
  • 1 type = 1 full glass

Value:

  • How many tastings do you receive for the tasting fee?
  • How much are the bottles of bubbly for wine club and non-wine club members?

Overall Experience:

  • Would I go back?  When evaluating the winery that’s the lens I will looking at it from.
  • Is it a place I’d enjoy a celebration with friends?
  • Is it a place I’d like to experience at a different time of year to compare?
  • Is it a place that becomes a staple when I’m in the area?

Please note: all opinions are my own even if the wine tasting is provided complimentary. And these are simply my opinions from the experience I had on the day I was visiting the winery.

If you’d like me to review a particular winery, please email me at vicki@bubblysideoflife.com and I’ll happily add it to my list!

CHEERS…

Here’s to many bubbly adventures and living your Bubbly Side!