Wineries open cellar doors for barrel tasting

Do you have a yen to taste the future?

If so, you'll be able to satisfy your curiosity at this year's Wine Road Barrel Tasting, which runs Friday through Sunday, and continues March 7-9. More than 100 wineries will pour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

"Wineries are open every day of the year for you to go into their tasting rooms and sample finished wines," said Beth Costa, executive director of the Wine Road. "Two weekends a year they open their cellar doors for you to try wine right out of the barrel.

"Winemakers, winery owners and vineyard owners are all on hand to talk about their vision of the wines in the barrel and how they manage their vineyard from year to year."

Costa said she has heard from dozens of people, some of whom are now winemakers, that this was the event that "turned them on to wine."

Organizers say they don't expect any complications from overconsumption this year because they've stepped up efforts to control it.

They are expecting a total of 16,000 tasters over two weekends, roughly 8,000 each weekend. Most will come from Northern California, but Southern California is the next big draw, Costa said. The event's ticket site reports that the furthest geographic reach to date is Australia and Finland.

She said this year's numbers are expected to match last year's, which makes organizers content.

"With 130 wineries spread out over a 30-mile radius, this is a very manageable number," she said. "When the prices were lower, we had drawn over 20,000 for the two weekends, which was not a great experience for the guests or the wineries."

Costa said the Wine Road has done plenty to keep the event from getting out of hand.

"We advertise on our programs, maps, apps, fliers and even in tasting rooms that 'it won't offend us, pour it out!' and to 'limit your tasting,'" she said.

California Highway Patrol will keep a close eye on the three regions - the Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander valleys - and the Wine Road also has hired security to patrol downtown Healdsburg.

As for tasting room staff, the Wine Road promotes responsible service and knowing when to stop service by offering annual Responsible Beverage Service certifications. In addition, the organization also lists a variety of transportation services on its website.

"The rest is up to the attendees to practice safe tasting measures," Costa said. "Folks that over-consume need to understand they are creating a problem for everyone else."

Age isn't the issue, she said. Millennials, who range in age from 21 to 31, seem interested in meeting winemakers, learning how wine is made and joining wine clubs.

"They are after the whole wine experience," she Costa said. "Our problem is with visitors of any age that simply overindulge."

Bruce Cousins, co-vintner of Armida Winery in Healdsburg, said he expects to host 2,000 tasters over the next two weekends. Thanks to a pre-event safety meeting with employees and volunteers, he said, "we have not had any problems handling the few participants that go beyond the limit."

Cousins said the Wine Road has prohibited large buses, and "this has made a huge difference. That was the message: no very large groups in a bus partying like crazy between wineries."

Kathleen Inman, winemaker and general manager of Santa Rosa's Inman Family Wines, said her winery has not had significant issues with guests overindulging.

"When we have had guests arrive that were previously over-served, they're usually middle-aged women, not millennials," she said. "We love having the younger crowd visit, not just at barrel tasting but every day.

"Our winery's focus on organic farming and our eco-ethical business practices are values the millennial generation embrace."

A weekend pass costs $50 at the door of any participating winery. Single-day tickets at $40 are available for Sunday only. For more information, visit wineroad.com.

Staff writer Peg Melnik can be reached at (707)521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.