Creating a Tasting Room Experience

In 1999, Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore wrote The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater & Every Business a Stage. The authors describe how a business could implement the four "Es," essential for creating an experience.  They are as follows, along with examples specific to wineries:

• Education (informal and formal wine courses/tours/displays, even what you share when pouring samples), 
• (E)Aesthetic (visual aspects and intangibles that provide a "feeling" that a consumer gets when visiting your tasting room), 
• Escape (involving the customers, for example, including them in the winemaking process), and 
• Entertainment (events and activities, concerts, etc.) and even the "flair" or presence you exhibit when pouring samples.

Any retail business can incorporate these strategies into a marketing plan – and wineries, breweries, and distilleries can do so in many different ways.

(E)Aesthetics

The entrance

When was the last time you considered what the landscape and planting beds on your property looked like?

If it is time to change them or add some enhancements, why not consider including grapevines (either those you use for production or something more unique) in your landscape plantings?  The picture below shows an entrance to a winery tasting room in Chile.  While the vineyards were visible from the entrance, they were not located right next to the tasting room parking lot or building entrance.  To help visitors envision what they would see in the vineyard, they planted "representative" ones in their landscape, which added a decorative element and kept visitors from wandering into the production area. 

The vessel in the image above is a smaller version of what the winemaker used to make his wines.  Before customers enter your tasting room, the exterior should give them an idea of the experience and "story" waiting for them indoors.  This winery was able to do just that.

Displaying goods

Indeed, it is necessary to display wine bottles in rows on shelves along walls, as in the following image; however, place bottles among other items to encourage customers to purchase complementary products.

But there are other display strategies that you need to consider.  Sometimes, you may need or want to draw attention to "other" items (whether they are new introductions or a good that is often missed due to package style/size/etc.), and one way to do so is by placing items on or next to a unique object.  If you have "artifacts," odds and ends, or old equipment – add them to your displays.

They add another layer of interest and can change the display's height so that not all goods are at the same level or on the same surface, which helps customers realize that there is more than one thing to look at.  Also, notice that the table and bench used in the image differ in height, color, and material.  This strategy adds interest and depth and makes the space feel more like a boutique – perfect for a tasting room.

Floors, walls, and ceilings

Below is an image of a tasting room in South Africa.  The owners provided visual interest throughout the tasting room and other areas where a customer might (permissibly) wander.  Not only were the floors, walls, and tasting bar visually appealing, but the ceiling was not neglected – after all, as a customer takes a sip of wine, they most likely will be leaning their head back and seeing a glimpse of what is above them.  Do not ignore this space or any other detail a customer might see (including restrooms). 

Also, notice that the light fixture hanging over the tasting bars was made with grapevines – another nice touch, and it helped direct customers to where they could get their samples.

Another tasting room in Australia used wine glasses to create a visually appealing ceiling.

A comfortable seating area

Have you ever observed customers trying to sample (and enjoy) your wines with friends/relatives who do not drink wine?  Depending on the tag-along, it could be a very unfulfilling experience for everyone.  If you do not have a comfortable seating area away from the tasting bar but still in view (for all visitors to use – tasters and non-tasters), create one.  The space should be inviting, comfortable, and stocked with items for guests to look at and keep them occupied.

Consider developing the space with "soft seating," a concept recognized in the restaurant industry, which offers flexibility in how the space is used (like many modern hotel lobbies).  Such spaces will allow for lingering and create an atmosphere that encourages this behavior.  The inclination may be to create an ample space for visitors to chillax; however, first, create a small area and evaluate the response (as with any changes that you make to your wine, selection, etc.) to determine if the response is positive, how positive the response was, and then decide to increase the offering based on these data.  The area you create could be as simple as a few picnic benches and tables or a bit more stylish, like the example below.

Theme

Why a theme?  Because a theme can help create a "distinct shopping experience," several wineries, cideries, and distilleries in our region work off a theme to differentiate themselves from their competition.  For a theme to be believable and engage consumers, all components must reinforce it – even those you feel the customer won't notice. While many establishments in Paris, France, are well-known and marked, several speakeasies in the city deserve a visit.  One is Lavomatic. Lavomatic is a working laundry mat with a secret door hidden behind one of the dryers. After you push the "start" button on the dryer and pull the door to open it, you will find a dark staircase that leads up to a small bar with a few small seating areas, including a few swings that hang from the ceiling.  Indeed, it is an experience that is not easy to forget.

Education

Whether in-person or virtual, your staff is the face of your business, and their interaction with customers is perfect for educating them about your winery, wines in general, etc.  There are other ways a winery tasting room can inform consumers about what they are drinking.

The tasting room staff member at a winery in South Africa talked about the sensory characteristics of the wine she poured, the winery's history, where the grapes were grown, and even discussed the country's wine and beer-drinking culture.

Soil profiles

When consumers come to a tasting room, they often expect to be educated about some production or winemaking component, and perhaps you or your tasting room staff have talked to them about terroir and how it may impact your wines.  The images below do a few things: they provide a visual that goes with your oral description of what terroir is, offer an educational opportunity for times when staff are too busy to give an in-depth explanation of the concept, can be considered a "work of art" and serve in the place of something else that could decorate the walls, and helps tell the winery's story and what differentiates the business from other wineries.

Yalumba Family Vignerons c. 1984. A map of their vineyards and corresponding soil samples are displayed at the tasting bar.  Yalumba, located in Barossa Valley, "is one of only four wineries worldwide to have its own cooperative."

Chateau Tanunda is "home to some of the earliest plantings of vines in Barossa Valley," with some planted in the 1840s.  Staff refer to soil samples and explain how production in Alluvial Clay Loam soil can differ from production in Deep Sand.

Pooley Wines, established in 1985 and located in Tasmania, is the state's first certified environmentally sustainable vineyard.  A unique display shows the soil profiles for two vineyards: a) Sandy Loams over Sandstone in which they grow Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, and b) Dolerite, black crackling clays, limestone over sandstone, in which they grow Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling.

Better yet, incorporate a bit of technology.  Consider taking videos of the processes performed in this area (and elsewhere in the winery and vineyard) and playing them continuously for viewers to watch, as Yealands Wine, located in Marlborough, New Zealand, does.

Also, consider how you might even involve your smartphone or tablet users (especially if you already offer free Wi-Fi) in the experience.  With the camera features on our phones, customers can take pictures of QR (Quick Response) codes, and the link that corresponds to the two-dimensional image (that the winery tasting room owner/staff creates) could take them to a website with information about the tanks, or whatever the winery wants to highlight.

Your history

Have your wine labels evolved?  Or, did you produce specific labels to support causes, have limited edition labels, or create ones to celebrate something that happened at the winery (10th anniversary, etc.)?  If so, put them on display.  Several New Zealand wineries show how their labels changed over time, sometimes with just slight differences between vintages, but still, something for tasting room visitors to look at and keep them on the premises longer.  Your job is to tell your story, so why not use your labels?

Certainly, if consumers visit your tasting room, they are probably interested in learning about how your business developed, if the business is multi-generational, and other aspects that make it unique.  Creating signs, posting photos, etc., can meet a visitor's need for background information.

Entertainment

Informal games

What can you do to entertain visitors without organizing an event, or festival, or finding an up-and-coming artist to provide live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night?  Sidewood Estate is a winery and cidery in Adelaide Hills, South Australia.  Before a recent expansion, the tasting room had an intimate space for couples and small groups to taste their wines while serving large groups in another space a short distance away.  Two separate spaces provided a nice, quiet area for couples/small groups who wanted to interact with staff and another where large groups did not have to worry about being loud.

Aside from trying the wines and ciders, all guests can buy golf balls and practice their swing.  If they hit a ball onto the small green in the middle of the pond or get a hole-in-one, they can win a prize.  Not only does the driving range give nonwine drinkers something to do while waiting for their wine-drinking friends, but it also keeps visitors on-site longer, encouraging them to purchase additional food and drinks.  Groups using the driving range were having a great time.  They spent more on food and beverages than visitors participating in an informal tasting – and the demand for the staff's time was minimal.

Exhibiting all four Es

Consider the following: you are visiting a city for the first time, and you read about Himkok, a micro-distillery located in Oslo, Norway, which has received much praise from bloggers and customers.  You have the address (and you can find it on a map app using your smartphone's GPS), but there are no noticeable markings, nor is there a sign with the name of the establishment you are trying to find.

After a couple of passes in front of the building, you decided to ask the barista at the coffee shop across the street for help – and she confirms that you are in the right place and that you'll find the tasting room right behind the wooden door at 27 Storgata Street.  Most businesses want their customers to find them quickly and without frustration.  So, why would this business be so elusive?  It all concerns the "theme" of the business: a modern-day speakeasy.

From the exterior/entrances to the bartenders' apparel, the concept incorporates all of the four E's of an experience: aesthetics (the theme), education (baristas informing visitors about the drinks and how to recreate cocktails on their own), entertainment (the visuals and all the "extras"), and escapism (you feel like you are part of a few privilege consumers who have found this gem).  This is necessary because if a customer does not respond as expected (e.g., employee buy-in and participation, promotions, social media messages), the whole experience may likely fail.

Whether they enter through the door at 27 Storgata or through the "other" entrance, visitors are introduced to the theme through the décor, fixtures, lighting, etc.  While both entrances are a "cover" for what is inside – one entrance mimics a small grocery store with jars of food, while the other is a full-service barbershop, PelsPels, with a crew of barbers selected by Lord Jack Knife, "one of the best barbers in the world."

What better cover for a "juice joint" than a legit business where one would expect visitors to come and go throughout the day?  PelsPels (pelpels.no)  is an actual full-service barbershop where gents are also served "giggle water." Just pass through the shop and go to the cider bar, taptails bar (ready-to-drink one-of-a-kind cocktails), full-service bar, or the outdoor courtyard for sandwiches and a relaxed backyard feel.

Side door entrance.  Aside from the entrance number and the symbol to the right of the door (a snake wrapped around the letter "H"), there are no hints about what visitors will find inside.  Once inside the threshold, visitors see jars and jars of preserved foods (e.g., olives, carrots), a corresponding price list, and a curtain...

First-time visitors are often confused by the lack of signage.  Some customers walk in because they either mistake it for another type of business or are just intrigued by the amount of traffic entering and exiting the establishment.

Spirits, cider, and other offerings are priced at a premium, but customers are willing to pay these prices considering their surroundings and how the experience makes them "feel." Charging a price premium for these handcrafted concoctions is not a bad thing – instead, lower-priced drinks and bottles would work against what is designed to be "the best-kept secret" in the city.

Himkok is on point with cocktail trends, namely a spin on the classic cocktails, for example,  the Oslo mule.  They also offer a few signature cocktails, which "gives the guest an impression of a 'complete' experience," such as the "Beta Cocktail" (made with vodka, carrot, ginger, and ginseng) and "Monkey Butter" (made with bourbon, banana, peanut butter, and citrus).

Fancy Cider?  Ten ciders are on tap, including some from the Portland Cider Company in the U.S., with another selection of premier ciders in the refrigerator behind the bar.  Visitors get three free samples, which the bartender helps select based on cider/beer preferences.  Several seating areas are situated throughout the building, including one with a retractable awning that shields visitors from rain and snow.

Another trend is offering wine cocktails.  However, if it is not feasible to offer cocktails for sale, consider:

• posting wine cocktail recipes on your website and through social media,
• distributing copies to customers who purchase bottles of corresponding wine that are the base of the cocktail,
• hold contests for tasting room customers and offer prizes for the most creative cocktail, the tastiest cocktail that uses trendy ingredients, etc.