As most of my 10 readers know (and those numbers have been ballooned). I’ve been driving for Seven Bends Spirits Tour for just under 2 years.
My knowledge of wine, liquor, beer, food and of course, cigars benefits my groups as we travel the roads here in Virginia.
Depending on what location you are staying in, I provide many options for my day drinkers to enjoy for their outing.
We pick folks up in all regions of the Shenandoah Valley and even in the No. Va. region to visit that areas locations. But there’s one thing that I’d like to provide. A quick list to improve your travels.
1. Stay Close – This is important as visiting specific wineries can eat up a lot of your time. By looking at a map, a vineyard is 6 miles as the crow flies from your Air Bnb. In reality it’s actually 30 minutes or more away. Always choose a location that’s has vineyards within 10 miles of your overnight stay.
2. Select Wisely – Not everyone in your group likes wine, bold reds or even sweet varietals. Some may prefer to have beer or even cider. Investigate whether these stops have other options to make everyone’s visit a memorable one.
3. Dining – Even if you wish to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you will need to be close to food options as well as a coffee shop if you’re not that verse in brewing a cup of Joe. Having multiple food choices is important because at the end of a day of drinking, the last thing you need to be doing is trying to drive to get a meal, you’ll need someone to deliver.
4. Accommodation Location – This is an important one. This should factor in with which stops you wish to visit (See no. 1.) if that cabin or house in the woods looks cute, remember, you still have to drive to the site. Be sure to ask if 4X4 is required (we have almost gotten stuck on a road several times because 4X4 was required). Make sure there isn’t any seedy houses of roads that look suspicious in your area. If you happen to venture onto a wrong road, local residents may not be very happy about your mistake.
5. Travel Time – Certain regions have multiple vineyards within a few miles. Others can be 20-30 miles apart from each other. If in a busy area travel times can double. Try to keep your time between stops to 15 minutes at tops. This will allow you longer times to enjoy your tasting. Also, don’t hesitate to bring snacks and beverages with you if the distance between stops are longer. Just don’t get too hammered between these stops. If the staff thinks you’ve had to much to drink, they will not serve you and they’ll ask us to leave.
6. Your Stops – Be sure to review the places you wish to visit. Recent groups have encountered horrible customer service and failure to get served. If you wish to pack some eats for your tasting, confirm outside food can be brought on site.
The bottom line is, we want you to have a great time without delays, mishaps or unwanted surprises. We can’t control the weather but we will make sure your tour with us will be top notch, that way you will return for another visit.
So if you’re looking for a great weekend to visit some watering holes, give us a call. Who knows, I may even be your driver.
Cheers Y’all!
crazynvirginia 