The
Only Sober People in Wine Country
It suddenly occurred to me that the only dependably sober
people I encounter during a day of touring wine country are the other
professional drivers. The clients, the tasting room staff, the other people
visiting the area are all exposed to alcohol in the course of the day. The
folks behind the bar often sample the wines before pouring to make sure the
bottles aren’t corked, or otherwise showing below their best.
While not everyone who works in a tasting room is required
to drink wine, don’t they get thirsty? They certainly are in a good mood!
Restaurant folks are infamous for sampling left over bottles in the name of
research, a perfectly valid reason. You have to taste a lot of wines to develop
the breadth and depth of knowledge the local industry requires.
Who’s left? The professional drivers in their SUV’s, limos,
vans and buses! Besides the good sense of not drinking on the job there are
three other reasons why we’re the only consistently sober people in wine
country. First, we’re required to be sober by law and violations result in
draconian penalties.
Second, we are very aware that while we’re driving the car
coming around the curve in front of us is likely being driven by someone under
the influence. That makes you want to stay on your toes. As a side note, if you
ever wonder about the reason to hire someone to drive you as you’re wine tasting,
consider that little point
Third, professional drivers, whether we’re wearing black
suits are silk Hawaiian shirts, are tested periodically and without warning for
alcohol and drugs. This is why there are relatively few wine country drivers;
it requires a clean driving record (those with a DUI need not apply), a
knowledge of wine country and all of the major roads of the Bay area, an
enjoyment of people and the ability to think on your feet, and you have to be
able to consistently pass the drug test.
Keep in mind that this is California, where things like
Marijuana are quasi legal, but not for drivers. Also, this is North Bay which
is where the hippies moved after they made lots of money, so it’s more relaxed
about certain things than other parts of the Bay area, San Francisco excluded.
The North Bay is also not very populated. For instance, Napa County only has
about 150,000 people. I probably had more than that on my block in Manhattan. Taken
all together you can see why there are not many guides, and while we have a
long tourist season, it is seasonal, so if you’re planning on booking a good
guide, plan early. And, they’ll probably be the only consistently sober person
you meet.
Ralph & Lahni de Amicis are authors of the Amicis Winery
Guides, and owners of Amicis Tours. They are authors of over twenty books on
health, design, business and travel. Their iPhone Apps, The Napa Valley Wine
Tour, and The Sonoma Winery Tour are a tour guides approach to these beautiful
area, complete with 1000’s of photos and insights. Their articles and products
can be found on the sites http://www.amicistours.com
and http://www.spaceandtime.com
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