The Auswine Forum

Two weeks ago, I finally took a trip back to the Vales. While I'd grown up in the area, I hadn't been back in 15 years, and not since I'd started drinking wine. It was a good opportunity to catch up on some old sights and memories, and to take my first tour of the cellar doors.

Over a two day period in the middle of the week we crammed in 17 wineries (using the spittoons I might add), and experienced none of the rudeness from CD staff referred to here and on the Winepros forum. When a wine was corked or a bit dodgy, they checked the bottle and opened another without question. Most had their flagships available for tasting, and the one occasion they weren't, apologised saying they normally don't open them mid-week. I thought the messages on the forums about the rude service had finally sunk through and this was thing of the past.

Until tonight. A well known bottle shop here in Adelaide had two McLaren Vale producers showing their stuff, and as we had missed out on them during the trip I had to be there. One of the wines (a Shiraz of which only a quarter of the bottle was left - so it had plenty of breathing time) had a trace of taint and general flatness, and I checked with a couple of regulars who agreed with me something was amiss. When I asked the Winemaker, he grumbled that it was not a fault but natural bottle variation - if he had another decanter to breathe it with, it would be a lot better. He opened a fresh bottle which was completely different - the wine was initially closed, but opened up perfectly with no trace of any taint, and everyone agreed it was richer, spicy, longer, and just plain better.

When it came to tasting the Reserve Shiraz afterwards, he first poured a new glass, thrust it at me and asked "what do you smell?" I described the characters I picked up and awaited his response. He smiled back and boasted it stunk of the smell of the cleaning rag! To prove his point he made me sniff an empty glass he cleaned with it. To be honest, I have smelled wines and glasses affected badly by this, and this time there was hardly a trace.

This has to be the rudest thing I have ever encountered at a tasting. I didn't make a huge deal of the probably faulty wine - I politely asked after getting multiple opinions to confirm my suspicions. I would rather find out a bottle is faulty than write the wine off as a bad one. But the crap I was subjected to after asking was unforgivable, and I didn't say a word to him the rest of the night; despite how good the wines were, I will never buy any because the guy is such a Tosser.

Funnily enough, the other Winemaker was quite polite, and asked me of my opinions of all of his wines. While I've mentioned no names, those of you in Adelaide can probably work out who I'm referring to.

Cheers
Ian

Ian,

first off I have to say that as you describe things, that behaviour is poor.
I am not passing comment on you or this situation, because I wasn't there.

However, you would be surprised at how often people claim a wine is faulty/tca affected etc when it isn't. few things are more annoying than someone who wants to big note themselves by saying a wine is corked e.g. pretend to know more than they do.

Of course I am not saying this is what you did, I wasn't there, but if this what the guy thought you were doing it might explain his, albeit unnecessary and rude, reactions.

I was at an historic tasting earlier this year, a very famous wine back almost a century, and people had flown from many parts to attend.
One particular gentlemen, stood for the floor and pronounced that a certain bottle was corked, it certainly wasn't, and was politely dismissed on that notion. he sat down muttering he was right etc.
Later at one of the very historic bottles, same guy, this time asking the moderator about the brett characters in the bottle, he might have been right incidentally. This time, to the applause of the crowd, the moderator using words slightly more eloquent than this said "sit down idiot, shut up and just enjoy it" My point being is that if someone believes you are more concerned with technicalities and not enjoyment of the wine, then it can be frustrating. Particularly if he/she does not believe you to be correct.

It sounds to me, that right or wrong, this very rude individual was asking you to lighten up a little.

Best,
M

I think you should forget perosnalities and just judge the wine.

I have experienced both exceptional and really poor service by different indivdiuals at varied events & locations when tasting wine.

One recent example of a negative experince was at the Vic Wine show hosted in Sydney.

I arrived earlier then my wife. I spat most wines as it is a unique opportunity to taste wines from a region that we do not often visit (let's face it Victoria why would U bother.. joking).

The last wine I suggested, that we both try, was a preminuim Grampian wine.

I stated that I was only interested in the premium wine within the range they were offering for tasting.

The person suggested I try their whole range.

Having tried there range before and in being in a hurry (for a dinner appointment) the attendant (looking down their nose at me) poured the most miniscule portion you could possibly imagine. My wife received a far more reasonable tasting sample.

Anyway, the next day I still purchased the wine despite the condescending way I perceived myself as having been treated.

My point. I guess is to judge the wine not the personalities or marketing behind them.

fox creek, i suspect

You did not happen to pass by Shottesbrooke Cellar Door?

Former work colleague ( Ansett Flight Attendant ) assists with cellar door. I am sure very hospitable and very generous with tasting pours.

Recall and overnight in Darwin where she was unhappy with the level of customer service at a local, jumped the bar and began pouring beers for the crew.

Hello Bec.

Yes, it would be a shame and only your loss to miss out on a great wine just because of some personal treatment. Simply don't involve yourself with them on that level in the future, and keep writing up your criticism here instead.

Its all Roman to me

Actually I think wine is a very personal thing and there is nothing more personal than being subjected to arrogance and ignorance by the person that crafted the wine - There will always be a better wine at a better price, so I fully agree, if the winemaker is rude don't buy the produce ! I know of many, many excellent wine makers who are humble, friendly and polite craftsman ! There are a number of wines I won't have anything to do with simply out of principle, I am 100% certain there is enough wine out there that will subject me to fantastic experiences without having to suffer winemakers who think they are gods gift to the vine !

I think you have a right to feel offended. Did the winemaker make any attempt to justify why he thought it was individual variation? No instead he chose to "big note " himself and belittle you. I think as a wine producer he should be more able to rise above the critisism after all it is his livliehood and merely your hobby. You as the consumer have a right to some respect (as they do as well) by the sounds of it you were respectful without being a sycophant(which is what he felt you should have been). If the winemaker is such an authority he should have taken the time to educate you all as to why the bottle was not corked.

Anonymous wrote: If the winemaker is such an authority he should have taken the time to educate you all as to why the bottle was not corked.

Maybe that's not practical. I think it's dangerous to presume too much about situations like this.