EXCUSE ME!

I spend a lot of time trying to educate people in the ediquate of the tasting room. Geez, I poured wine for 6 years and I've seen it all. One of my favorite was the guy who obviously could care less what I was pouring as long as it had booze in it. He went down the entire tasting list in two minutes. Gulp, Gulp, Gulp.

While I admit that this is the extreme "poor" taste, there are a vast majority of folks who don't get it. My biggest pet peeve is the "I own this wine bar" taster. Just the other day at a local tasting room a group of women out for a good time by hiring a limo, were "parked" at the tasting bar, monopolizing the whole thing. Diane and I had brought our tour clients in the winery only to have them stand at the side while the girls enjoyed the food set out on the bar. They never once moved aside.

To me this is the height of the ugly American. Rude and inconsiderate. So if no one ever told you, get your taste and step aside to let those in back of you get their taste. Why is this such a hard concept? Diane and I once allowed another couple to step to the bar only to have them set up shop. We had to reach around them to get our next taste!!!

Any more, people are loathed to reprimand anyone in public. The little kid drops his candy wrapper and we look the other way! (Not me!) No wonder the rude behavior is getting worse. Do your part and ask those bar-huggers to share the place!