Below you’ll find a Quick Covid 19 Wine Tour 2021 checklist to help prepare you for your next wine tour on your own or with a guide.

As of March 17, 2020 the Province of Ontario declared of a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak at 8.30am March 17th.

With the Covid-19 pandemic there are restriction everywhere, so what can you expect for wine tours and wineries?

There are now some new requirements thanks to Covid that you will need to be prepared for before enjoying these leisure activities we all love so much.

I’ve been to six wineries this summer of 2020 during this pandemic and the restrictions are very similar in all the locations we visited.

You’ll find that there are small requirements from you now that will help create safe environment for everyone.

Quick Covid 19 Wine Tour 2021 Checklist

• Mask – Cover your nose and mouth. These are mandatory everywhere. The sweet thing is that all require masks but when seated you can take the masks off.
• Contact Form – All members of your group will be required to leave a name and contact number. If there is ever a risk they can contact you to let you know your at risk.
• Hand Sanitizer – Almost all location provide you with a hand sanitizer station before entry or bottles at your table. Protect others and be sure to use hand sanitizer before you enter the winery.
• Social Distancing – You will notice there are signs posted with designated social distancing location now identifying where to stand. This helps you keep the required distance from others. Follow the signs and you’ll be fine.
• Temperature Checks – Some places and wine tour providers use a Touchless Temperature Check prior to the tour. In many cases you’ll just need to stand there while they take your temperature.
• Plastic and No Glass – Many places only offer plastic cups. Some do still offer actual wine glasses but not many.
• No Cash – Most places only deal with credit or debit.
• Reservations Only – Some places require a reservation 24hrs in advance. No Walk ins. When planning its best to call ahead and see if you require a reservation.

These are the standard safety protocols and procedures to help protect you and the winery during Covid-19.

How Wineries Promote Covid-19 safety

• Masks – The new normal. Tour operators will all be required to wear a masks whilst driving you on your wine tour. They will guide you where masks are appropriate based on current federal and provincial directives.  Although some do not require you to wear a mask most tour operators require all guests to wear masks whilst in a touring vehicle travelling between wineries.  You will find that mandatory masks must be work when entering any indoor spaces, including indoor tasting rooms just until you begin the wine tasting. 
• Contact Form – Another new normal. ALL guests will be required to leave a name and number before entering the winery.  This will include all members of your group. The purpose is to be able to contact you should a situation arise that involves a positive Covid-19 exposure.
• Hand Sanitizer – Hand Sanitizer will be made available before entry into all wineries.  Wine tour operators will provide hand sanitizer and recommend you use it before each stop.
• Social Distancing – Wherever possible follow social distancing guidelines. Wineries will have signs posted to help direct where you should be standing to be safe.
• Temperature Checks – This is very new and started in the summer of 2020. Some tours will take a Touchless Temperature Check prior to your tour. Anyone registering signs of a fever will not be permitted to proceed with the tour or entry into the winery.
• Plastic and No Glass – We are all used of drinking wine from a glass not a plastic cup but with Covid-19 plastic cups are becoming a new normal. Hard to get used to paying $10 – $15 for a glass of wine and it comes in a small plastic cup.
• No Cash – During Covid-19 not many places will accept cash. Be prepared to pay with plastic. Credit and debit cards are preferred just about everywhere these days.
• Reservations Only – Not all places require a reservation but many are requesting that you do. Wine tours are fine as you are already looked after the entire time. But if your looking to self guide your wine tour then its probably best to call ahead and find out what’s required.
• Ordering Window – A new requirement is to place your order and pay for it before your seated. Many places have an ordering window where you review, select an pay for what you want up front. For those places still offering wine tasting this will not apply and you can pay before you leave the tasting.
• Plexiglass Dividers – As stated earlier mask are mandatory but once your seated in an sectioned off area you will be allowed to remove your mask. Some wineries allow you to remove you mask for tasting as most employees.
• Doors are propped open where possible to avoid contact with handles.

What is different With Covid-19 in 2021?

With the Covid pandemic in 2020 there have been a number of changes and restrictions put in place at the wineries and wine tours.

• Many breweries, wineries, distilleries in the industry have stopped offering a full “Facility Tour”. This is expected to continue into 2021. For the behind the scene tours we will have to wait it out.
• Pairings during your wine tasting have been put on hold. Serving food with wine tasting presents some difficulties and most places have trouble providing this service while ensuring safe COVID-19 protocols.
• Wine tours may take a while longer as most tours have a scheduled time slot that have to stick to. The amount of people in a winery has been changing up then down then back up again. Now more than ever sticking to schedule is vital for a positive wine tasting experience.
• Group sizes may change as Provincial and Federal governments tried to curb the rise of Covid. Now there are wine tour that take only 4-10 passengers daily, instead of 12-16. Bigger groups of more than 10 guests would require a splitting into smaller groups but also taking different routes between wineries.
• Flights cannot be shared and have to be individual only. Most places but not all.
• PPE for staff include face shields or masks and gloves.
• Using disposable menus or menu boards.
• Guests under 19 years of age will not be allowed in the winery. This is an effort to limit the number of guests on premises.

Truth About Sanitizing

Every tour operator and winery will tell you that the standard practice will be to sanitize after every visit to a table, stool, chair, door handle or point of sale terminal. Truth is some places try their best but often miss wiping things down.

During our visits this past summer to six different wineries I notice that not everything gets wiped down between visitors.

Without naming names two location did not offer Tap payments and I had to use the key pad. No problem.

The people before me had used the point of sale terminal key pad but there was no wiping/sanitizing after. The hand sanitizer provided was at the entrance of the winery, after I order and paid so I had no choice but use the terminal and sanitize after.

Basic Sanitization Protocols

• Hard surfaces including tables chairs, door handles, menus, key pad for payments after every use.
• Surfaces that cannot be wiped like those inside wine tour vehicles will require disinfection with spray bottles.

If we book a tour for the summer how many people will I be on Tour with?

All Tour Groups will be kept to the smallest size possible to allow for Social Distancing guidelines to be met.  Currently group sizes will be between 4 – 10 people.

The Best Times to Visit a Winery During Covid

In my experience the busiest times to visit a winery is in the summer, on a weekend between noon and 6pm.

My advice is to visit before noon on a week day or later in the day say after 5pm.

Also there are less people at wineries during the early spring or early Fall.

To limit your exposure to Covid – 19 in the coming year I’d suggest being prepare before you leave.

This information will help you better prepare for your next wine tour.

I will continue to monitor the Covid situation and keep you informed of changes at wineries as they surface.

My fingers are crossed that in 2021 wine tours will be back to normal.

If you have any additional information to share add a comment below and I’ll make sure everyone can see it.