Hospitality Its the Attitude! 

When asked the question: Who is the most important person in your business. The answer is of course the customer. In most cases you are relaying on the continuous support of the customer and the reference they may provide for your business. The easy part of building a successful business is to get the customer to enter your establishment the first time. The hardest part is to get them to return. If you are like the average company, up to 40% of your customers walk out the door and never come back. What's worse, the "average" business is totally oblivious to their actual churn rate—so they do nothing to correct the problem.

The number one reason people fail to return to a business is related to attitude. The attitude of indifference from the individual(s) who they encounter. To repeat that the number one reason for lost customers is  attitude. A poor attitude, poor service, disinterest service is the number one reason a customer does not return. When someone is happy with the services provide by a company the chances of them telling someone are less than 10% if they are unhappy the chances of them telling someone are over 80% the changes of them telling multiple people over 65% 

So if you ask your employees who the most important person in the company is; the answer is me. Me referring to each individual employee. "Me" because it is each personal individual attitude that determines the success of the business. 

Since I spent over 25 years in the hospitality business including writing a super host training program and at one time owned two restaurants I am very critical of the standards of service I receive in any business. I have had a few bad experiences as a customer dealing with improperly trained employees and management people. I'll never eat again at Boston Pizza.

There are other ways besides direct contact with a poor attitude that can also result in a business losing customers. Included here; not respond to inquiries either by phone, email or letters,or keep customers, investors, media and stakeholders updated. Today your online presence is also a key factor. Respect those who support your business.

The Wineries:

It is not often that I experience a bad or unsatisfying visit to a winery. But it does happen.

I can recall waiting twenty minutes for the winery to open after the stated time on the door.

Ive been told I can't offer you more than four tasting because its against the law. It is not.

(I spit sometimes). Ive been told a wine listed on their tasting menu will not be tasted because we don't want to open a new bottle. Ive even been subjected to a lecture on how good German wines are. What your working for a BC winery not Germany. O yes we have been ignored too and on a couple of occasions found the winery door open but no one around. 

Perhaps what irritates me the most is when your tasting room host is paying attention to you until some else comes in, be it a regular or a friends and suddenly your forgotten about. The host must have the ability to include everyone. 

At one respected winery restaurant our waitress seemed to disappear after the main meal was served. When she finally returned she said "Oh I forgot about you" 

I do not request any special treatment when visiting a winery. In fact I prefer just to walk in and see how good or indifferent their hospitality is on a first time visit. 

Where I have more of a concern for lack of hospitality and a poor attitude is at major wine tasting events. Here you often find bored sales agents and hired day staff. Often these people know little about the wines and wineries they are representing and far too often their cell phone rates ahead of you. You are the person the winery wants at their table and should be impressive; why else is the winery there! 

I think its import that the winery selects the right people to be representing them, skilled at greeting and acknowledging people. Skilled at pouring wines, skilled at communications and have a knowledge of the wines and winery they are representing. Do not leave it up to the hotel, the event organizers or your marketing company. It up to you to protect the interest of your business.

 Wines from Unkown Countries

 

March 17 2025, we celebrated. Our celebration was for Barbara’s recovery from a health scare, St. Patrick’s Day, and Ken’s birthday.

We also included our annual wine event, Wines from an Unknown Country.  Each couple was asked to bring a wine from a country whose wines we seldom see in British Columbia, Canada.

Our first wine was from Island of Crete. Crete is the fifth largest Island in the Mediterranean part of Greece. The Island has played a major role in the history of Greek winemaking

The wine is Boutari 2022 Kretikos Vidiano- Vilana, a very nice white wine. One of Greece’s most successful export wine.

Next came a wine from one of the world underrated Countries Georgia. Tetri Kindzmarauli is made from the saperavi grape grown in the controlled appellation of Kindzmarauli. The regional winemaking is almost universal and is based on the ancient method. Its a slow fermentation at a low temperature that ends without all of the sugar being fermented.

 Our third selection came from Chile. Perhaps a better known wine region than Georgia and Crete . A baron Philippe De Rothschild. From the Valle Centre a very impressive wine. One where the flavours of the Carmenere shone through.

Our final selection was from South Africa: a Secret Cellar 2022 Shiraz Grenache. Most of South Africa's wine regions are situated on the coastline of The Cape where they take advantage of the cooling influence of The Southern Ocean. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted black grape variety.

We found all the wines to be excellent. Wines we would all be happy to buy again

 Dining at Morgan Creek Golf Club

With my wife in the hospital, our good friends Petter and June invited me out for dinner at Morgan Creek Golf Club. They suggested the golf course because it was halfway between their home in Tsawwassen and  mine in White Rock. I think the advantage was mine. 

The restaurant features a well-rounded menu and a Wine Bar. We selected the restaurant. The menu details a number of Seafood dishes, and on Sunday, the special was Prime Rib and Yorkshire Pudding.

June selected the Prime Rib which according to her was amazing. Peter and I selected the Beef dip. Beef dip is one of my favourites, and I had my mind made up before I arrived.

The waiter was friendly and provided excellent service. I asked about a Pinot Gris for my wine. The server made several suggestions, but only one BC wine, which I selected.

He said, “ I appreciate your sentiments. “Perhaps he was referring to the recent movement to support Canada. Of course, I have been a promoter of BC wines for over 30 years with a little website, Wines of Canada.

 Filet Mignon – Lean and Tender

 

 

The king of the red meats. Filet Mignon is not the most marbled cut of steak. It is tender and many steak lovers enjoy it only with a fork because there’s no need to cut it with a knife. This means that a lighter, thinner wine is a better choice to complement the texture.

How you season your FILET Mignon may determine the wine you choose. A simple salt and Pepper steak is best served with a Pinot Noir.

Pinot noir is grown around the world, mostly in cooler climates, and the variety is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France.  Pinot Noir is usually light to medium-bodied, with lower tannins and high acidity, making it a wine of grace and subtlety. It has a silky finish.

If your steak comes with a rich sauce you are best to go with a Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine  is a full-bodied red wine that has bold flavours of dark fruits, oak, and spice.

The Malbec is a medium to full-bodied red wine with medium to high tannins. And this makes them a great wine to pair with filet mignon that has been grilled.

There are those who like a Zinfandal   These wines  are very fruit-forward with flavors of dark fruits, spice, and pepper. This makes them a great wine to pair with filet mignon that has been seasoned with spices.

When in Double, try an all-time favourite, Merlot.

If you prefer white wines try Chardonnay or Viognier.

 

Some Visits are not Worth It!

A couple of months ago, I received an email from a winery asking me to visit and taste their wines. Of course, I was expected to write up on the winery and review the wines.

The winery was out in Abbotsford. Approximate 50 KM away a drive of just over one hour.

An appoint was made and off my wife and I went. Upon arrive we received a simple hello. I explained to the young lady we had an appointment to meet the owner. Sorry she said he is not here today. I now had to explain that we had an appointment. I present my business card .The young lady took the card and disappeared . She returned a few minutes later saying "I can give you a tasting". 

We proceeded through a four-glass sampling of their wines, which the young lady did with very little input. We then did a self-tour of the winery, taking numerous photos.

When leaving, as is our custom, we purchased one bottle of wine. I quickly swiped my card, and we headed on to the next winery down the road. "Hi Barb, Hi Bob, so nice to see you!"

Upon arriving home, we checked the receipt from the first winery. We were shocked

Tasting $30

Bottle of wine $32 

Tip $7.25

Now remember they invited us!!

 Now, where we live, lunch is included in our rent. We missed lunch due to the distance involved. We had to buy lunch, and our loss on that is $12 plus $47. So that trip cost us approximately $130. But wait, there is also the cost of gas!

Did I write up the first winery absolutely not!!

But this is not the first time in 2024 that we have been charged the tasting fee. With today's rising costs, I can not afford to travel to the wineries and pay $30 minutes every time I walk into a winery.

There are also fees included in the cost of running a website. 

But let me be totally honest: Most wineries do not charge us tasting fees, and some even provide a free bottle of wine to take home. We never ask or demand anything from a winery other than truly good hospitality and a little respect.

 Every once in a while, you come across a truly exceptional wine—one that goes perfectly with the evening meal.  On this occasion we were having an all-white Turkey loaf.

What wine were we going to select to enjoy with the turkey!  After careful consideration, we selected a Gewurztraminer from a local winery, Backyard Vineyards.

Backyard Vineyards is a full production winery located among the rolling hills of South Langley, BC in the Fraser Valley wine region. July 4 2018 Diamond Estates operating as Lakeview Wine Co purchased Backyard Vineyards.

The tasting room at Backyard Vineyards is cool all summer long, and when winter sets in, it’s a perfectly cozy gathering place.

The winery won a gold medal at the Intervin International Wine Awards for their 2015 Syrah along with 3 silvers. 

It was the perfect choice. The wine and turkey complimented each other .

Backyard Vineyards Gewürztraminer 2021 was a most refreshing light wine featuring peach and melon with hints of honey

www.winesofcanada.com/bobs_picks.html

 

 The newest trend and perhaps the right trend is "sit down" wine tasting versus standing at the counter. Your mood, your attitude about what you are looking for and the people you are with can all change depending upon the tasting experience experience. 

The experience I love the most is the sit-down wine tasting experience, where I can taste high level wines with a trained server while I interact with my friends. especially when I am on my forth winery of the day. As I get older standing is not the best. I want to relax and savour the wines.

It would seem more and more wineries are promoting the "sit down experience"

You feel less rushed with a sit-down tasting Usually you have around 75-90 minutes to take your time and enjoy the process. I like a time frame, but a big one, where I don’t feel hurried.

Enjoying wine is all about community. I love the interaction and discussion in a wine tasting. You can get the synergy with both options, but I find it is so much easier than in a sit-down setting.

When visiting a winery with friends a sitting experiences enhances the coverage, rather than been spread out in a straight line at the counter The intimate environment is difficult standing at a bar. If you are feeling a more energetic vibe, I like tasting at a bar. I tend to prefer the smaller amount of people in a quitter setting.

Every time I visit a winery, I want to learn something new. I love it when there is an knowledgeable server who can share with our group the backstory of the winery, the vineyard practices, how the wine is made, what restaurants to go to, and so on. A good server engages and answers questions, but they don’t hover. A good server discerns when to engage and when to let you enjoy your group alone. At a sit-down tasting, the server has more room to move about and visit another table, letting you enjoy your company whereas at the bar you may feel the need to constantly engage with the server and not so much with the person next to you.

Experiencing the good stuff: Sit-down tastings showcase a winery’s best wines in their best stemware. There often are food pairings or a charcuterie board to use as a wine pairing experience. Sharing these dishes is better at a table. For the most part, food is not an option at a stand-up bar.

Reservations: Most wineries allow reservations sit-down tastings. They work the same way as in a restaurant. I like knowing that there is a table or couch arrangement ready for my group at a particular time. When I arrive my spot is reserved, the glasses are buffed, the wine is ready, and the server is scheduled. Sweet. With a stand-up tasting, you do not have to arrive at a particular time, but you may have a wait.

I have learned that there is not a big difference a stand-up but I do feel you get so much more for your money. You relax more, you enjoy the interaction with friend and staff more. You may get the crystal stemware to taste out of, the reserve wines, the interaction with a trained server, a quieter room with a view, a place to unwind, and intimate time with your company.

A study done in the USA and Canada by SVB Wines showed a grated "up sale" for the winery in seated tasting.

Unfortunately the seating experience is not that easy for the small wineries where the owner does it all!

Parts of this article come from the resident Sommelier and Owner, Mick Wilson of Wilson Creek Winery

Fees to taste are standard operating procedure at most wineries, though some still offer complimentary tastings or refunded tastings with the purchase of wine. Every winery is different, so ask in advance if you’re curious about fees and reimbursements. If you like the "sit down" experience be willing to pay more. 

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