Why do Niagara Wineries charge for tastings?

[SYoung]

I was in Australia earlier this year and did a few wine tours over there and not one winery charged for tastings, from the big Aussie wine conglomerates down to the mom and pops, every tasting was free. Some had limits, like 3 tastes per person, but they were still free.

However, in Niagara, they charge a "nominal" fee (at least the ones I visited). But if you think about it, it's not that nominal. For example, I visited Chateau de Charmes and they charged $1 for about 1 oz of wine. A 750mL bottle has about 25 ounces so you're looking at an equivalent of about $25 bottle for that $1 tasting, which is more than the retail price the wine! Not very good QPR.

[winesonoma]

I was in Australia earlier this year and did a few wine tours over there and not one winery charged for tastings, from the big Aussie wine conglomerates down to the mom and pops, every tasting was free.  Some had limits, like 3 tastes per person, but they were still free.

However, in Niagara, they charge a "nominal" fee (at least the ones I visited).  But if you think about it, it's not that nominal.  For example, I visited Chateau de Charmes and they charged $1 for about 1 oz of wine.  A 750mL bottle has about 25 ounces so you're looking at an equivalent of about $25 bottle for that $1 tasting, which is more than the retail price the wine!  Not very good QPR.

←

It's because they can or the law makes them. Some are just greedy, as in the difference between Napa, where they charge and Sonoma where they don't, generally speaking. There are exceptions.

[Marlene]

I believe it has something to do with Ontario law. Just like at the casinos and racetracks here, you can't get more than one drink at the bar at a time. Even if your companion is sitting two feet away. Or more than two beers at a time at a baseball game and none may be served after the seventh inning stretch.

[Nondoctor]

Yes... it's our wonderful AGCO at work again.

[prasantrin]

Interestingly, Chateau de Charmes was the only winery in Niagara that charged us for tastings. The others that we visited were either completely free, or gave 2 or 3 tastings for free, and any above that had a charge. I found, though, that if you did a tour that included a tasting session, you were generally charged a set rate (at one winery, it was about $5 or $10 for the tour and tasting, but you could go on a free tour, and just walk over to the retail side and get free samples). Odd.

I should add that this was a number of years ago. I don't know how things are now.

[jmcnally]

To add insult to injury, I've never found the staff at Chateau de Charmes very helpful, or even interested in what they're doing. That diminishes the wines for me.

As someone who works in the wine business, and pours at wine shows, I think some wineries charge to discourage the sort of person who slurps up all the free wine they can get. Charging even a nominal fee weeds out a surprisingly large number of people. Plus, most of the places that charge will waive the fee if you buy any wine.

So, other than at Chateau de Charmes (which also charges the most), the practice doesn't bother me.

[gourmande]

We spent a weekend in the area recently, that it happened to coincide with the beginning of the Wine Festival was an accident but being thus, we did witness behaviours (by patrons) that could explain the reason some wineries request payment for the tastings.

As it has been mentioned, there is no doubt some law requiring a minimal charge, however, whenever we've visited wineries - this past weekend included - the charges for tastings have usually been waived, then again, we usually make purchases as well, but even if we don't, we certainly do show a genuine interest in the wines offered and engage the staff by discussing various aspects of the wines, asking for advice on particular vintages etc. This past weekend we visited 6 wineries and of all them only one charged us for the tasting.

Now, what we also witnessed this weekend was busloads and carloads of people descending on the wineries, many of whom were just doing the gulp and go, with clearly no real interest in the wines they were tasting (or purchasing anything for that matter) and some of them were downright rude. At one winery we visited, a lady got quite upset and loud because they had run out of free cheese samples and demanded that they put more out or give her her money back (all 75 cents or whatever it was!)

Edit to add: The same goes for the wineries in this area of Ontario (Lake Erie North Shore); if there is a charge, we've never paid yet.

Edited September 24, 2005 by gourmande (log)

[marlowe]

I agree with an earlier post. If you show a genuine interest in wine, you will probably not be charged, except probably for ice wine, which considering its retail value, is fair. I suspect the charge is for the tour bus, or possibly the yahoo crowd, trying to get a buzz on before lunch. Usually, the charge is nominal anyway.

It's one thing to taste a wine, in order to evaluate whether you want to buy it, and another, if you're a wine tourist.

[SYoung]

Well... Jackson Triggs does not charge for their cheap wines but do charge (something like $2-3 per shot, more than nominal) for their more expensive wines. So does the law discriminate based on price? I don't know but rather doubt it. Sounds like it's up to the wine estbalishment whether to charge or not.

To those who say the charges are to get rid of the freeloaders who drink too much, all I can say is they didn't have this problem is Australia. Are we to assume that Aussies are more civilized in terms of wines and they don't need to be 'controlled' like Canadians? I don't think so. There are other ways to control drunks.

All I can say is this, I limited my tastings because I don't agree with the charge. The few that I did pay to taste reafirmed my opinion that Ontario wines have a way to go in terms of QPR. Maybe had I tried more I would've found something better and bought a case, but that didn't happen with my limited tastings due to the tasting fee. I do very much want to support Ontario wines, but not for the price they're asking.

I believe it has something to do with Ontario law.  Just like at the casinos and racetracks here, you can't get more than one drink at the bar at a time.  Even if your companion is sitting two feet away. Or more than two beers at a time at a baseball game and none may be served after the seventh inning stretch.

←

[SYoung]

So what you're saying is that if the server likes you, s/he will waive the charge. If not, how do you show interest? We were there to buy some wine and were interested. How will the server judge whether you're interested or not? This practice, to me, leads to prejudices on the part of the server depend on how you act and what you look like.

And, yes, the fee is "nominal". But so is the wine you get for the fee. You pay a buck for an ounce of wine. A bottle is 750ml or 25oz, so that buck an ounce equates to $25 per bottle which is more than the retail price of the bottle in most cases. Nominal? I think not. They probably make more money per bottle at the tastings than if they sold to LCBO.

I agree with an earlier post. If you show a genuine interest in wine, you will probably not be charged, except probably for ice wine, which considering its retail value, is fair. I suspect the charge is for the tour bus, or possibly the yahoo crowd, trying to get a buzz on before lunch.  Usually, the charge is nominal anyway.

It's one thing to taste a wine, in order to evaluate whether you want to buy it, and another, if you're a wine tourist.

←