Guide to Wine Tasting So maybe you’re a rookie wine drinker - or even a veteran wine connoisseur, and you haven’t had the chance to visit Two-EE’s before. No matter your background in wine, we love welcoming new guests to our tasting room. We hope that these wine tasting etiquette tips - specific to our winery - will make your visit an outstanding and unforgettable experience. Before Your Visit Deciding when to come Our winery offers tastings every day from 11 AM to 7 PM, year-round. Depending on the day, there are any number of things going on at the winery - crushing grapes as part of the harvest, live music and food trucks, or large group get-togethers. In general, our tasting room is quietest just after opening on a weekday. A lunchtime or early afternoon weekday visit during the summer, or a Sunday morning visit in the winter, can give guests an intimate, more exclusive experience than a Saturday evening. With a quieter tasting room, our servers are able to chat with your group at length, share more information and stories, and you are able to sip wines at a more leisurely pace. Saturday is the busiest day in any tasting room. If you don’t mind waiting a bit to taste, or if you are planning on just buying a glass or bottle to share and sit on the
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Guide to Wine Tasting So maybe you’re a rookie wine drinker - or even a veteran wine connoisseur, and you haven’t had the chance to visit Two-EE’s before. No matter your background in wine, we love welcoming new guests to our tasting room. We hope that these wine tasting etiquette tips - specific to our winery - will make your visit an outstanding and unforgettable experience.
Before Your Visit
Deciding when to come
Our winery offers tastings every day from 11 AM to 7 PM, year-round. Depending on the day, there are any number of things going on at the winery - crushing grapes as part of the harvest, live music and food trucks, or large group get-togethers.
In general, our tasting room is quietest just after opening on a weekday. A lunchtime or early afternoon weekday visit during the summer, or a Sunday morning visit in the winter, can give guests an intimate, more exclusive experience than a Saturday evening. With a quieter tasting room, our servers are able to chat with your group at length, share more information and stories, and you are able to sip wines at a more leisurely pace.
Saturday is the busiest day in any tasting room. If you don’t mind waiting a bit to taste, or if you are planning on just buying a glass or bottle to share and sit on the
patio, Saturday is a great time to see the tasting room in action.
If you have questions about a specific date or when would be the best time to visit, don’t hesitate to call our tasting room to speak with a server.
Deciding who to bring
At Two-EE’s Winery, we believe that great wines are meant to be shared. The fun of wine tasting is in discovering and savoring wine together. When planning your visit, consider inviting your parents, significant other, or friends. Even if you’re a regular visitor, it can feel like a brand new experience when you introduce someone to Two-EE’s Winery for the first time.
If you plan to bring children to the winery with you, we require that they physically stay with you at all times. We want our winery to be the safest place for all v is itors, and glass, sharp rocks, and other architectural features of the winery can be harmful to children. Any child found without an adult on winery property - even if within eyesight of an adult - will be promptly escorted back to their parent(s).
Tasting rooms can be boring for children, so we also encourage you to bring quiet, non-disruptive activities if bringing children along. Coloring books and crayons are a perfect activity to keep kids occupied on the patio or amphitheater. Please be respectful of other guests who planned for a “date night” sans children.
If you are interested in bringing a group of 8 or more to the winery, we appreciate advance notice. You can notify us by emailing [email protected] or calling 260-672-2000, ext. 2.
Skip the perfume
When selecting what to wear for your winery visit, we recommend skipping perfume, cologne or other strong fragrances. They interfere with and mask the olfactory experience of tasting wine.
Eat before you come
We advise that you eat something substantial before your wine tasting visit. Alcohol affects every person a little differently, so plan ahead and don’t drink on an empty stomach! If you know that wine has a strong effect on you, make sure to arrange for a ride, as well. Your safety is our first priority.
We also sell some delightful cheeseboards which pair beautifully with our wines. Ask a server to see a menu after your tasting.
During Your Visit
Stand barside for your tasting
Like most wineries in the Midwest, Two-EE’s Winery’s tasting room is first-come, first-served, and all tastings are served barside. In order to give excellent service to every guest, we request that you stand at
the bar until your tasting is complete. If you need a chair or other accommodation, please let your server know and they would be happy to assist.
Ask your server questions
Our servers extensively study the art of winemaking and the wines we make. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about grape origin, pairing recommendations, or types of grapes. Though it is tempting to socialize with your group throughout your tasting, be sure to listen to the interesting tidbits your server shares about each wine - and take notes on the ones you like, so you don’t forget when it is time to select bottles to take home.
Knowing when to call it quits
Though some guests would like to taste every wine on our list, after 6 wines it is difficult for your palate to distinguish between wines anymore, and we are serious about not over serving our guests. Save some wines to taste for your next visit, or choose different wines from your companions so you can try a little bit of what they selected, as well. If you are torn between two wines to try, ask your server for their recommendation on which you would like best.
If you don’t like one of your tastes
We understand that not every person will like all of our wines, and we don’t expect you to. If you encounter a wine that isn’t to your liking, a simple “This wine isn’t for me” is the most polite way to excuse yourself from a taste you would prefer not to finish. Your server
will dispose of the wine and move on to your next selection.
Respect winery policy
Each winery operates under the policies that serve its customers best. Our policies about smoking, outside food, beverages and containers, children, and glass theft are to keep our winery beautiful and help make Two-EE’s enjoyable for all our guests. We thank you for respecting our building and policies!
To tip, or not to tip?
Tasting room servers work diligently to provide exceptional service in our specialized industry. If you feel server was friendly, knowledgeable and provided you with excellent service, we encourage you to reward them with a tip. The amount is subject to your discretion.
After Your Visit
Let us know how we did
If you enjoyed your time at Two-EE’s Winery, please leave us a review on Facebook, Google reviews, or Yelp. We always love hearing about your fun visit!
If you have additional questions about your visit, or there is something we can improve upon, we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss it with you. Please send us a note at [email protected] to start the conversation.
Now that you’ve visited the winery, make sure to like us on social media or sign up for our e-newsletter so you don’t miss announcements about wine sales, upcoming events, and new wine releases.
