Ben C.
Yelp
Reading other reviews it seems this winery has a pattern of bad experience, particularly towards parties who show up for a tasting with kids. That was certainly our experience. We pre-booked a tasting for six people, which was the max allowed (Covid requirement). When we showed up with our kids we told them to wait outside for us while we went in for a tasting. Our kids have (reluctantly) been to more wine tastings than most adults and they know how to behave and be patient. They found a spot outside in the shade and pulled out some cards at a table to play games while we went in. But then a woman came out in full rage, armed with a sanitizer kit and hazmat suit (Covid gestapo) and screamed at the children for sitting in a sanitized "bubble area" even though there was no such sign indicating this. When I told her they just wanted to wait there outside while the six parents went into the winery to taste and buy their wines she abruptly and rudely said she didn't care. The wineries rules were a max of six people ON THE PROPERTY. We have been to countless tasting in the okanagan over the past 20 years and had already been to six other wineries during Covid and nobody has every kicked our children off their property. Furthermore, these details were not disclosed to us when we booked. What was the worst (almost criminal!) was when I asked the woman where our children should wait for us while we go inside to taste their wines, she said "we suggest adults leave their children in the car!". This is the Okanagan. In August. The temperature was 35 degrees! And they told us to put our kids in the car! Police arrest people for doing this to their dogs, let alone their children. Needless to say we left without tasting or buying their wines. And we will never buy Stoneboat again (despite being a loyal fan for over a decade). I understand that conditions are unique these days with Covid but there are absolutely no rules anywhere that limit customers to six people on any business' entire property. If Stoneboat is so afraid that they choose to implement such extreme measures maybe they should just stay closed. Or if they choose to open with their own unwelcoming limitations then they need to be prepared to suffer from frustrated customers, bad reviews, and lost revenue. But like I said at the start of this review, the bad service seems to be systemic in this business as many other negative (pre covid) reviews have stated.