Family Winemakers

Today is the first day of the two day marathon Family Winemaker's pour at Fort Mason. Some 350 wineries will be pouring their wines, trying to somehow differentiate themselves from the other 349 that surround them. We are always on the other side of the table, the ones there smiling, pouring, teaching and meeting new consumers and business partners. How do you, on the other side of the table, make the decision to stop at an unknown, to you, table to taste? Being a tiny winery we watch as the crowd approaches: What are they looking for? Their favorites? The most famous? The winery owned by friends? The unknown? The most rewarding time of a huge pour like this is the last couple of hours when our table becomes crowded because,"I was told you had the best - name a wine varietal - here." That means so much more to us because as the crowd becomes 'friends' over the duration of the pour they freely offer advice to anyone standing around them. So, out of the sea of wines available we love it when they come to our table because someone else at the show has sent them to us. If you've never gone you don't want to miss this event.