Well, we’ll say a little something about the wine but I think there’s a bigger thing at play that is not discussed enough. So, about the wine…it’s awesome. We love Rhone wines and Tablas Creek is producing some absolutely amazing Rhone wines. Annie and I love Rhone whites (reds too but man, those whites are amazing) and Tablas produces quite an extensive list of white wines such as: Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, and Marsanne, just some of the Rhone whites, while they also make Vermentino and Chardonnay which are non-Rhone wines.
To be a complete Tablas Creek whore for a second, I’ve never had a white wine of theirs that I did not like. There…I said it. Oh, and they also make a kick ass Rose, can’t leave that one out. In addition to all this liquid candy they also have a pretty eclectic group of red wines that they mess with but I’m not going to tell you anymore about the wine, I figure you can handle that on your own if you’re man, or woman, enough to do so.
The Real Scoop on Tablas Creek
Here’s the real story…Tablas Creek gets it! What do they get? They understand how important the customer experience is and they rock the Rhone out of it. Their tasting room is laid out well with roughly four places to taste wine, it doesn’t make you feel cramped with other people. The atmosphere is awesome and the gentleman that poured for us (David) was perfect! He didn’t over engage or under engage, he explained things in a professional but fun manner, and he seemed as interested in talking with us as we were with chatting with him.
There is a wide variety of service we all encounter everyday…from horrific to just a little bit bad to “it was alright” to spectacular…David was spectacular. I even mentioned to Annie that I feel like it had been a while since we had one of “those wine experiences”. I’m not knocking anyone else, but let us remember that every time there is a customer in front of you it is a time in which you can exceed expectation, meet expectation, or not even give a damn. It’s been over a year and a half since we’ve been to Tablas Creek, but prior to that lapse we’ve been there at least four or five times…every one of those visits was memorable not just for the wine but for the quality in which they interact with their customers.
Recap: Yes, the wine is really good in our opinion. Yes, the new facility is beautiful. Yes, the scenery is amazing with its typical Paso Robles rolling hills and green vineyards. However, we’ve been to other wineries with all that and we don’t necessarily go back. We go back to Tablas Creek because the people have treated us like they care, and David (the man that poured for us) did not know who we were or that we write about wine and all that…he just did his job like he has every other time.
Way to go David, thanks again for a great experience and thanks to Tablas for creating that culture out there. Cheers!
Related articles
- We welcome two new grapes to Tablas Creek: Clairette and Terret Noir (tablascreek.typepad.com)
- Reflecting on a decade of Esprit de Beaucastel (tablascreek.typepad.com)
- Tablas Creek 101: Why (and How) We Use So Many Grapes (tablascreek.typepad.com)
Question: What do you define as over/under engagement? You mention David did neither, but there’s not a lot of detail as to what this means to you. I think that level of engagement is one of the most difficult things for a tasting host to get right, even with the best of intentions and enthusiasm (the same goes for waiters/waitresses, but that’s another ball of wax…)
Like most things, level of engagement is subjective. David seemed well versed at reading people that bellied up to the bar. Example, while we were there 3 other groups of people came up beside us, and he went to them with a similar opening statement but proceeded to allow the consumer to determine the direction while he guided as needed. I think that is something that can’t always be taught, learning to gauge what other people are wanting…it comes from an eagerness to make people happy, it comes from some amount of passion for what you do, it comes from listening, and it comes from caring. All that being said…your definition may differ from mine, but these are my thoughts when I gauge the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of people in the customer care arena. Thanks for the comment L!!
I’m so glad we saw your blog on FaceBook – we’ll definitely be following it. My husband, Randy, and I are also Tablas Creek whores. We’re wine club members and they are one of the two-three that we would never consider giving up.
Two other things we love about Tablas Creek – their commitment to sustainable farming and the club events they sponsor. Three events we’ve recently attended includ a Wine Harvest Weekend Chef’s menu and Tablas Creek wine pairing at Cass House in Cayucos; a farm to fork dinner held at the winery after a wonderful tour of the grounds; and, most recently, a partnering with Festival Mosaic at the Hearst Castle – lovely menu and Tablas Creek wine on the Neptune Terrace at sunset, followed by a wonderful classical concert in Hearst’s private auditorium.
You’re right – they really now customer service and how to keep their club members engaged.
I’m so glad we saw your blog on FaceBook – we’ll definitely be following it. My husband, Randy, and I are also Tablas Creek whores. We’re wine club members and they are one of the two-three that we would never consider giving up.
Two other things we love about Tablas Creek – their commitment to sustainable farming and the club events they sponsor. Three events we’ve recently attended includ a Wine Harvest Weekend Chef’s menu and Tablas Creek wine pairing at Cass House in Cayucos; a farm to fork dinner held at the winery after a wonderful tour of the grounds; and, most recently, a partnering with Festival Mosaic at the Hearst Castle – lovely menu and Tablas Creek wine on the Neptune Terrace at sunset, followed by a wonderful classical concert in Hearst’s private auditorium.
You’re right – they really know customer service and how to keep their club members engaged.
@pearlquest Great to hear from you about Tablas and thanks for checking out our site. I love living hear in Paso and I absolutely love the wine scene here…but a lot of local wineries still need help in the customer service side of things. Cheers to you, have a great weekend!!
I love your take on the winery, Tablas Creek. Your description and photos make me want to visit and get to know the winemaker. Thanks for sharing.
@TalesoftheCork I appreciate the comment and yes, I would definitely check it out when you have time. Let us know what you think!! Cheers!