The weekend before Thanksgiving, most of the UnCork York wineries hosted the first "Wine Just off the Vine" event. This was loosely based on the Beaujolais tradition of Nouveau, basically giving everyone a sneak peek at the next year's wines.
I am worried about this event, because in the first and only weekend, we received over 800 visitors. On Saturday alone, 501--or more...we missed a few we think---came by Allegro. This is downright crazy. Now, I don't mind that many visitors coming, believe me. But I want to make sure that everyone who comes gets the same great experience. And if I have to talk to more than 500 people again, it may kill me. (Those of you who came on Saturday can attest to the fact that I was telling some people to "drink your turkey and eat the Nouveau.....")
But, on the other hand, this is a great problem to have. Can you believe that so many came out to a local winery for one weekend? It's crazy. I f John and Tim were still with us, I'm not sure what they would be thinking.
Well, for one thing, the old winery in its past state wouldn't have been capable of holding that many people. The new addition--for warehousing space-freed up all sorts of possibilities for us. We managed to find a great way for people tof low through one end of the winery and exit the other end, eliminating most bottlenecks (except the good kind.) We expanded the parking lot in light of all of this,and this seems to have made a difference as well.
But what about the wines? We tasted out our 2009 red and white Nouveau. The red with turkey and cranberry, the white with stuffing balls. It was a lot of fun--as Nouveau should be--and we sold about 3/4 of the white production and almost half the red. Crazy. For a while there I was wondering if I was going to have any left for our family's Thanksgiving.....
Anyway, it was crazy, but it's over. Thanks to all who came out and to all who helped put this on.
I am worried about this event, because in the first and only weekend, we received over 800 visitors. On Saturday alone, 501--or more...we missed a few we think---came by Allegro. This is downright crazy. Now, I don't mind that many visitors coming, believe me. But I want to make sure that everyone who comes gets the same great experience. And if I have to talk to more than 500 people again, it may kill me. (Those of you who came on Saturday can attest to the fact that I was telling some people to "drink your turkey and eat the Nouveau.....")
But, on the other hand, this is a great problem to have. Can you believe that so many came out to a local winery for one weekend? It's crazy. I f John and Tim were still with us, I'm not sure what they would be thinking.
Well, for one thing, the old winery in its past state wouldn't have been capable of holding that many people. The new addition--for warehousing space-freed up all sorts of possibilities for us. We managed to find a great way for people tof low through one end of the winery and exit the other end, eliminating most bottlenecks (except the good kind.) We expanded the parking lot in light of all of this,and this seems to have made a difference as well.
But what about the wines? We tasted out our 2009 red and white Nouveau. The red with turkey and cranberry, the white with stuffing balls. It was a lot of fun--as Nouveau should be--and we sold about 3/4 of the white production and almost half the red. Crazy. For a while there I was wondering if I was going to have any left for our family's Thanksgiving.....
Anyway, it was crazy, but it's over. Thanks to all who came out and to all who helped put this on.
It was another great event for the UnCork York Wine Trail wineries who participated! Looking forward to Tour de Tanks in March ...
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