Shanel O.
Yelp
I had such high hopes for this place. Ferrari-Carano "Fume Blanc" Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite wines, so needless to say, I was very excited when my husband said he had made reservations for my birthday. We attended their Sunday Brunch on April 30th.
Check-in: We arrived at the winery at noon for our 12:30 pm reservation. At check-in, we were greeted with a complimentary glass of wine and were told by the hostess that we would have to wait until our reservation time to be seated, which was no problem because we were eager to explore the beautiful grounds. With time to waste, we decide to explore the garden. Making our way down, we suddenly hear someone briskly walking up behind us, and its the hostess coming to tell us, "You can't take the wine glasses in the garden" She begins to over-explain that guests leave the glasses in the garden, and they are not allowed; shocked because I can't quite understand how this is even a rule, but okay. No visible signs indicating this rule, but my husband and I complied and gulped down; yes, we gulped down our wine. So we returned to the check-in area, where the hostess told us we could place our empty glasses on any open table. Odd, but okay.
So finally, we make our way back down to the garden, this time empty-handed. We took a few photos and quickly returned to the courtyard to take pictures of the vineyard. By this time, more guests had arrived, and I noticed that couples were entering and exiting the garden while holding what I was told was prohibited, a "wine glass" Indeed, this has to be an oversight, so I made a note of it and proceeded to take photos. It was when I had a direct line of sight to the hostess. I watched her watch the guests enter the garden with what she told me was prohibited, "a wine glass," She said or did nothing. I'm unsure why my husband and I were singled out and chased down, but it was odd and very much embarrassing.
Brunch: The food options were tasty. The carrot soup was absolutely delightful. We had the waffles and Pork belly sandwich, both delicious. Service was okay. Victor, I believe was his name, was very friendly and energetic, and knowledgeable about the wine. We did, however, realize mid-way through our meal that our water glasses were empty and that we weren't offered water. My husband had to get up to find someone to pour us a glass of water. This is a minor issue that I would have typically overlooked had the initial encounter gone differently. We finished brunch and left, and as we made our way thru the gift shop and out the door, we saw both hostesses. And the lady that was located in the gift shop ( I didn't get her name) that seated us for our brunch, and as we passed them to leave, no one said thank you for coming, enjoy your day nothing, and I'm almost sure they saw us because we literally had to walk through them because they were huddled around talking.
Overall we had huge expectations of this place. After driving 2 hours to get there, I expected a way better experience than we had. The food was good, but the lack of attention got me; as I said, I could no longer overlook the things I would typically overlook, such as the water, because it was far too late. After all, the experience was already going downhill. Unfortunately, the encounter with the hostess over the wine glass set the tone for the entire brunch. It definitely rings true that the first face you see is the most important, and your employees play a pivotal role in the overall experience.
Lastly, placing a sign or having the staff inform the guests beforehand that wine glasses are prohibited in the garden just so a scene is not made. This may help other guests in the future.
