This is a continuation of Power Tasting’s guide to the different sorts of Servers wine tasters may encounter in their expeditions into Wine Country. The previous edition introduced the Pourers, the lowest form of Server. In this section of the field guide, we present the Hosts.
What is a Host? A Host pours wine and delivers it to wine tasters. He or she knows nothing about wine in general or even the wine that is going into the taster’s glass. The Host’s objective is simply to make sure that everyone is having a good time. This is often an admirable trait and it can be quite pleasant to deal with a Host in his or her own habitat. Unfortunately, interacting with a Host can be quite frustrating if a taster is interested in knowing anything about the wine being consumed. It is unclear whether a Host can tell the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Petite Sirah, or a Chardonnay for that matter. But while in the company of a Host, it’s Party Time!
How can you recognize a Host? A Host appears to be in perpetual motion, moving from taster to taster quickly enough to avoid questions. You will often hear the cry of the Host, “What’ll you have next?” If you are able to stop a Host long enough for a question, you will be promised an answer shortly, often giving the Host a chance to ask someone else behind the bar for help. Hosts can be recognized by
- Big smiles, even when inappropriate
- Fast talking
- Eagerness to explain his or her life story, but not to say anything about wine
- Two or more bottles in his or her hands
Hosts will keep refilling your glass, which is both a positive and a negative.
What can you expect from a Host? Wine. Lots of it, along with a smooth patter and a snappy joke. When being served by a Host, it’s often a good idea to just catch the spirit and go along with the party atmosphere. Wine is a social lubricant and there’s nothing wrong with having a good time. Who doesn’t like a good party? As would anyone throwing a shindig, the Host will introduce you to fellow tasters, get a conversation going and keep you involved. The risk, of course, of dealing with a Host is overindulgence, so know when to say you’ve had enough for a while.
How to get the greatest advantage from a Host? Let the Host run the party; you taste the wine. Have fun by all means but do it slowly. For one thing this keeps the party going longer. For another, you can actually get to appreciate the wine, often in the type of setting when you might be serving it back home.
Where are Hosts found? Oddly, Hosts may be found in really fine wineries as well as in sellers of plonk. You are most likely to meet one on a weekend when tasting rooms are the most crowded and the winery needs the most people to serve their visitors. Look around for a happy, giggly party in a corner of a tasting room. You’re likely to see a Host pouring the wine.
