In this two minute tasting tip (actually 4 minutes) you will get a clear understanding for how NW Wine Shuttle defines private tour vs “mostly” private tour. By the end of this short podcast you’ll understand the one benefit that is usually the deciding factor, why the costs are different and how to get the most out of the NW Wine Shuttle.

 

I’m Kim, and I’d like to offer a two minute tasting tip on the difference between private tours vs mostly private tours when riding with NW Wine Shuttle.

 

The three biggest barriers to going wine tasting are most commonly finding time to go, avoiding drinking and driving, and cost. And a close fourth is knowing where to go.

 

Wine tours can solve all of these problems by designing your itinerary, making reservations, we are in a reservation world now, where reservations are required, and then providing all the transportation during the day of your tour. It’s a very compelling and convenient way to see wine country and ensure a great day of wine tasting.

 

So now I have you convinced that a wine tour will ensure a worry-free day of wine tasting. Let me explain the two primary options you have.

 

Private Tour or Mostly Private Tour with NW Wine Shuttle

 

1. Let’s start with Private Tour. This is a wonderful option but can typically be the most expensive. This is for a number of reasons but the most significant is, the cost to operate a private shuttle is divided across a single group vs. multiple smaller groups. One of the most significant benefits to a private tour is you will be picked up from a single location of your choosing. This means you have door-to-door transportation for your day of wine tasting.
2. The other option is what we call Mostly Private. This option is substantially more affordable and still covers all three barriers to going wine tasting (time, transportation, and itinerary). Most tour operators call this a semi-private tour, but I call it “mostly private” because we do things a little bit differently. When you book passes on the Wine Shuttle., not only are you getting most of the perks of a private tour, but you are saving 80% per hour. The most important details to remember and the biggest difference from a private tour; You will board at a single location, Carlton’s free public parking lot vs us picking you up at a location of your choosing and taking you back at the end of your tour. This likely means some driving for someone in your group.

 

Let’s dig in deep to the tem “Mostly Private.” All guests of the Wine Shuttle choose 3 wineries from our route that they would like to visit. We then make reservations for their group at each of these three wineries. This means you will have your itinerary and own table for the wineries you have reservations at.

 

After the first initial drop-off, the remainder of the day you will not see any of the other groups until the final pickup.

 

I have never seen a tour offering like this. You get a custom itinerary with reservations at three wineries, based on our route of wineries. You get private transportation for nearly the entire day all for 20% of the cost of a private tour per hour.

 

The only downside is you have to drive to Carlton to board the tour… but let me flip that downside into a positive.  Carlton is the cutest little wine town in all of Oregon (my humble opinion) and with the tour ending at 3pm you have a couple hours to enjoy one of its many restaurants like Park & Main, Earth & Sea, HorseRaddish, Barrel 47, Carlton Corners… as well as shopping and the most tasting rooms per capita in the Willamette Valley.

 

So my tasting tip, if you want all the convenience of a private tour but don’t want to spend the money or are a group of 1-4… Consider the Wine Shuttle and make a day of it.  You’ll get to know Carlton and trust me you’ll want to come back.

If you have any questions about how to plan your next wine tasting experience contact concierge@nwwineshuttle.com.