Cellar Door Experiences

The first contact you have at a winery cellar is the people who will pour you a taste of their product.  It is no different to any customer service experience you may have at a cafe, clothes store or gym.  It will leave a lasting impression.  Recently, in the company of others, I visited six cellar doors in the Barossa Valley and one in McLaren Vale.  All of which left positive impressions on us all.  The people were very engaging without being over the top, they were happy to answer our questions and even provided us with a tasting of something special that "...just happened to be open".  Yes, we were tourists, but I think the difference was, we were not a bus load of tyre kickers going from one cellar door to the next just to get smashed.  If it is a small boutique winery, there is a good chance the person who is pouring the wine is the winemaker and/or the owner.  He/she has put a lot of time and effort into their wines and enjoy telling people about them.  They welcome questions from the enthusiastic amateur and the self-appointed expert so, only pick 3 or 4 cellar doors a day, and soak up the experience.  You won't realise you are also soaking up some fine wine, hand-made with enthusiasm and passion.  Oh, and, don't forget to eat somewhere along the way.  'Til next time and remember to live simply, laugh often, wine alot.