California to the Adelaide Hills, Bird in Hand Winery

This is a little story of two people from Adelaide South Australia now living in California. One in Paso Robles and one in Monterey and neither knowing each other prior to an introduction via social media by a mutual friend, James Tilbrook of Tilbrook Estate wines in the Adelaide hills, South Australia. (James makes great wine by the way)

Just so you know one of the individuals is me, the other is Amanda Grindley of Brecon Estate Winery in Paso Robles California.

We both had plans to be in Adelaide at the same time last July and were to meet up with James to catch up, enjoy his wines and visit his new tasting location, the Lenswood Cube. But that's another story. This story is about a wine tasting. Not just any wine tasting, but an exceptional wine tasting.

Talking with Amanda about a wine tasting and I have, as it turns out, way more experience with the wineries in the Adelaide Hills and so it was turned over to me to arrange a tasting for us. Now Brecon Estate makes some amazing wine so the bar was set very high. Given some date and timing constraints that helped narrow down the choices. Then I remembered that I also had a story to share that helped make my decision a little easier.

I called and made an appointment and got us set up at Bird in Hand winery. Bird in Hand is a family-owned winery cultivating cool-climate wine that captures the spirit and some of the best of South Australia’s Adelaide Hills.

I was hoping Amanda would enjoy the experience.

Aside from making good wine, a number of years ago a staff member at Bird in Hand (she was still there) had shown me the meaning of customer service and how to make loyal followers.

I had had a tasting there while on holiday in Adelaide and really enjoyed their wines and bubbles. Then a couple months later back in California was in need of something for my parents wedding anniversary. In typical bloke fashion I had left it too late to mail anything and so I decided to order something from a local vendor over the internet. Good idea but most still took a few days to deliver. So literally on the day of their anniversary I decided some Bird in Hands bubbles would be the choice and I would settle for it being a day or two late. I know, I know, a self inflicted situation. Imagine my surprise when one of the staff personally went out of their way on their way home from work to drop off the two bottles of bubbles to my Mum and Dad. Now that's customer service. Something I will never forget.

Once inside we asked for Jared who was to be taking care of us and while waiting for a couple minutes we warmed ourselves by the lovely warm woodstove in the corner. Once we started the tasting all concerns that Amanda would not be as enthusiastic as I was were quickly washed away by the amazing Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir and the rest of the great range of wines. Jared took us through a fantastic tasting and at the end a bottle of bubbles and a platter were consumed while we chatted and enjoyed the company. A case was purchased for later consumption and I purchased a very special bottle of 2007 Adelaide Hills Nest Egg Shiraz. A m a z i n g!

A great winters day in the Adelaide Hills at the award winning Bird in Hand winery. Go pay them a visit and enjoy a tasting, lunch or a platter and tell em we said g'day. We say its a 'must do' !

To great wine Adventures,

Cheers,