How to Navigate a Tasting Room

As you probably know, we hold daily wine tastings in our Puffin Tasting Room.   Our Tasting Room is a pretty casual place for you to sit, relax and enjoy the wines we’re pouring.   With that said, there are a couple easy things you can do to enhance your (and others) experience.

Tasting Room “Do’s”

 Have an open mind.   While we are usually pouring a lineup of our own Puffin wines, we may have set up the day’s tasting line up to present you with a specific theme, maybe it’s wine from a specific winery or wine region.   Maybe it’s a lineup of lesser known varietals or wineries.    Whatever the theme of the day is, come in with an open mind and try them all.   Who knows, you may find a new favorite wine.

Ask questions about the wine.   We’ve researched and tasted the wines we are pouring for you.   We’d be happy to talk with you about the wines and answer any questions you may have about them.   If you happen to visit our Tasting Room when we have a winemaker present, they’d love to answer your questions!

Take turns at the tasting bar.   If it’s slow in the Tasting Room, you are welcome to hang out at the tasting bar with the server.   But, if it’s busy in the Tasting Room, please get your wine and move aside so the next customers can get their sample too.

Take a seat and enjoy the vino.    We’ve set up tables and chairs for you to come in and use.   Get your wine and hang out for a bit.   You’re welcome to take a seat, listen to the music in the Tasting Room and chill.   Remember…you’re tasting wine, while on vacation, in Cannon Beach….savor it.

Tasting Room “Don’ts”

Don’t wear a lot of perfume.   Did you know that wine sommeliers can get almost all of the information they need about a wine from its aroma?   Ladies, I’m sure you smell pretty, but that heavy spraying of Chanel is going to prevent others (and you) from really experiencing the full aroma of the wine.  Take it easy on the perfume and enjoy the subtle aromas of the wine.   The people sitting next to you will be grateful.

Don’t complain about the tasting fee or pour size.   We charge a small tasting fee, typically $20, and offer you a minimum of 5 wines.  We have to purchase the wine being poured in the tasting room and our tasting fee helps us cover the cost of the pour.   We will reimburse your tasting fee if you buy 2 bottles from our tasting lineup.

Regarding the size of the pour, please understand that our pour size is limited by the OLCC.   Also, we are pouring wine samples, which are sufficient for you to determine if you like the wine or not.    If you’d like to purchase a glass of wine, we’d be happy to pour that for you.

Don’t feast on palate cleansers.   From time to time, we put out a plate of small crackers for you to cleanse your mouth between tastes, not to feed you.   The expectation is that you’ll eat one or two to get your mouth ready for the next taste of wine.    If you’d like a snack, please purchase one of the cheese boards we offer.

Don’t reach for the pour bottle and serve yourself.     The liquor commission (OLCC) doesn’t approve of this either.   Customers are not allowed to pour their own wine during wine tastings.   If you’d like a 2nd pour of a wine, would like to move to the next wine in the panel or you would like a glass of wine, please tell your server.    We’ll make sure you are taken care of quickly.

All joking aside, 99% of our customers are awesome…..don’t be that 1%!  We’ll see you soon in our Puffin Tasting Room.