Wonders of Wine and Food

 

Have you ever planned your day to visit a winery and, upon arrival, found a closed sign on the Gate? It has happened to my wife and I far too often.  Of course, before we begin our journey, I check the  winery's website to ensure the winery is open that day. Seldom does a winery take the effort to change their "regular" operating hours to match special events.

One particular weekend on Vancouver Island, I can remember a very disappointing day. It was a long weekend. We were visiting on a Monday.  Yes, I checked all 4 wineries' websites. Every one of them said open Mondays. No mention of closing on Holidays. Three out of four had closed signs. Have we ever visited those wineries again. Did I ever write their praises on my blog or website!

Closing for a wedding is different of course. It's all about the mighty dollar. Private events (weddings, corporate retreats, milestone celebrations) often pay significantly higher fees than regular tasting‑room traffic.

It will, however, result in loss of customer traffic and send those customers down the road. They may never return. They can be extremely annoyed if the closure was not communicated clearly. Relying on Facebook to notify customers is not going to work for numerous reasons, but many wineries rely upon this method.

Larger wineries may be able to handle special events without interrupting regular customer service. These wineries are few and far between. Finding staff with knowledge to do the job right is also a problem Sacrafing service quality can have negative results.

If the winery close too often for weddings or private events, customers may start to think:

• “This place is more of a wedding venue than a winery.”

• “They care more about events than wine.”

One more thought

If you winery is open to 5pm and a customer walks in 2 minutes they are entitled to full service. Sending them away a very bad idea.

If you read the previous blogs where I graded the wineries there are some starnge and horrific stores why some wineries got an F.