Really hacks me off...

Call me cheap, but nothing bugs this Rampant Oenophile more than a winery or tasting room that won’t apply your tasting fee towards a wine purchase. During this trip to the Left Coast, My wife and I visited more than 30 wineries. After last year’s 3 case splurge, we wanted to resist buying a lot of wine at the wineries. It’s far easier to take pictures or write good notes, then buy only the really great wines direct from the vintners. Better yet, if I can find the special wines at my local wine shop, I feel like I’ve won.


Nearly every winery or tasting room charges a fee, though many will waive it for regular customers. They are in the business of selling wine, so a small tasting fee is like a corkage fee at a restaurant. It’s there to cover costs if the customer isn’t buying a bottle. I don’t blame anyone for making a buck or two. But, when a winery charges a fee and doesn’t waive it with a wine purchase, I start thinking that maybe they are in the tasting room business, and not so much invested in the wine. Valley of the Moon certainly tests the boundaries of those fees. Their tasting room is almost like a local gift shop, and you have to buy 3 bottles to forgive the $15 tasting fee.

But where Valley of the Moon might be walking up to the line with their fees, Imagery Estate Winery walks past it as if it didn’t exist. Imagery charges $10 for a flight of 5 wine choices in their winery. For a winery with 8 wines, plus several other bottles available “off-list” for the day, it’s tough to pick just 5 selections. And, frankly, $10 is a bit steep when all of the competition within 3 miles charges less and offers more.

And, I didn’t particularly enjoy the wine that I did end up buying. I bought it as a gift for a friend who loves Malbec, and while I’m sure that it’s good, I found it a bit too dry for my palate. What’s worse, that $37 gift turned quickly into a $47 bottle after the tasting fee, which is way too much to pay for mediocre wine.

So, visit Imagery Estate Winery for their wine art collection and pretty location. Sample the wines if you like, though you can get a wider selection of truly exceptional wines at Chateau St. Jean and St. Francis,