How We Review Wineries

Our wine information is based on the individual experience we have at each winery that we visit. Because everyone’s taste and experience with wines are different, we review wineries not only the wine but on the ambience, staff knowledge and other wine products as well. Wine tasting should be a pleasant, fun and educational experience!

Please note: Our criteria and reviews of wineries are written by Southwest Wine Guide and are subjective and based on our own personal experiences. So, when we visit a winery, here are some of the things we look at:

Greeting
Everyone likes to be acknowledged when they enter a winery. We look at how quickly we are acknowledged and if there’s enthusiasm in the greeting.

Pets
Many times there are resident pets on the vineyard premises and especially inside the tasting room. We don’t mind because we love dogs and cats. But, as hard as it might be to imagine that some people don’t like pets (or are highly allergic), for some visitors, this may be the case! We appreciate it when there’s signage before you enter a winery or tasting room that informs you of any resident pets you may encounter!

Ambience
Whether the tasting room is tiny or large, we like ambience! Wine always tastes better when you like your surroundings. Appropriate music is always a nice touch and fills in the empty spaces of a tasting room. If we feel welcomed and comfortable, chances are we’ll stay awhile and will remember our visit and the wines we tasted for a long time to come.

We also review wineries for their views, scenery and creativity. And if there’s a café or food (such as a cheese and cracker plate or artisan breads and spreads) available to purchase and enjoy in the tasting room or on the vineyard grounds, we like that, too! And of course, clean restrooms!

Staff Knowledge
Staff knowledge of wine is a very important factor for us when it comes to the wine tasting experience. We review wineries to see if the staff is helpful, engaging and informative without being pushy. We like staff that are enthusiastic and focused and can help us choose the right wines for our particular tastes. Staff members who are not attentive or know little about the wines they are pouring leave a disappointing impression on us.

Marketing
Since marketing has been part of our lives for the last thirty years, we are always looking at how wineries market themselves. Here are some of the things we look at:

Professionally designed and printed brochures, business cards and other marketing information.

A guest book to capture visitor addresses and emails.

Upcoming special events.

We also love to see wine products such as branded apparel, glassware, foods, cookbooks and related wine and food promotional items.

Overall Wine Tasting Experience
All of the above criteria are taken into consideration when take our wine tasting notes and review wineries. We also look at the overall enjoyment of the wines we have tasted, how many wines are offered in a tasting (sometimes there are too many; sometimes there are too few), if the price of the tasting includes the tasting glass to take away with us, and if the wine glasses are of suitable size and quality to really enjoy the wine. We also like to take notes during our tasting and really like it when we can have a wine tasting note sheet available to write down our preferences.

Wine tasting is a personal experience and should be informative, educational and fun!

Cheers!

What's Your Favorite Vineyard?

Have you discovered a special vineyard, or a hidden gem? I'm sure we are not the only ones who are always on the lookout for great Southwest Vineyards and Wineries. Share with your fellow wine lovers! We'd love some great tips and stories, too.

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