Has any tasting group or wine group used measured pour spouts when your group gets larger, 10-12 people? I know they can be purchased to pour specifically 1.5oz, 2.0oz, etc. I am not talking about retail tastings, but in particular if you go to an OL have you or would you use a pour spout? I have never been to an OL where they were used, but I have been to an OL of 10 people and a bottle only makes it to 8 people (multiple times). Just wondering thoughts. At first I thought it would ruin the atmosphere but I just don’t know because I haven’t experienced. Thoughts?
In my experience, the measured pour spouts stink. They’re very inconsistent.
I’ve been in that situation before as well (last person or two doesn’t get a pour). If you have 10 or more people, I think you need something. We’ve used beakers…the beaker gets passed around with the first wine in a flight, the rest of the wines are poured using the first glass as a guide. Pretty good system mostly.
The problem with measured pourers is bottles with sediment and wines in decanters. Also, the measured pourers I’ve used give an properly sized pour most of the time, but a good percentage of the time it’s way off. Finally, some measured pourers require some technique while pouring. Overall, I think they’re more problem and hassle than their worth. They can be nice for wineries pouring at events tho.
I bought one once for a tasting I hosted where the number of guests ended up too high (like 14 or something), but I bailed on using it because it just didn’t feel right. Plus, they don’t work very well, and they only make a 1.5 ounce pour which is probably smaller than you are going to want (at 1.5 ounce per pour, a bottle would spread over 18 tasters).
In that situation, I’d suggest you take control of the pouring or designate another competent person do it, then practice beforehand making the correct pours (e.g. if you have 12 tasters, learn, using the stemware you’re going to have at the tasting, how to make the pours 2 ounces each). It’s probably not realistic to expect everyone to understand how much is the right amount to make the bottle spread evenly over a large group.
I use the two finger rule for 12 people…take two fingers and place them across a wine glass from the bottom up. Usually works out great. Or fill up an empty bottle of wine with water and practice to see how much is needed for each glass!
Yes, yes, yes. As soon as one designated person no longer pours, no one can be assured of access to all the wines. That’s ok toward the end of the night, but to start? No. It takes a bit of practice, but for anyone ITB or who hosts/attends many offlines, it’s essential.
No, Eyeball it or go home .
Same here, and the rudeness of this is very annoying.
But what if the people eyeballing it absolutely suck at it?
Practice makes perfect & it is fun !
I’m in 2 groups of 12 & 15 and we work it out with out a measuring device. If one gets shorted another gives a little .
Adds to the camaraderie !
So, let’s say you go to an offline, and somebody there sucks at eyeballing it; let’s say you’ve met this person never, once, or twice before. Are you really going to go up to them and suggest that they"practice" their measured pouring?
Well, see if Marty Feldman is available to attend… ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
Travis, good question. Besides form, I think pour spouts wouldn’t be good because of any not brand new wines that have some sediment. Not enough to require decanting, but a few years old, some light sediment, just enough to cloud things up when you have to essentially turn the bottle upside down to commit to the pour spout mechanism.
Really, I would just call it out at the start of the night and even in the invite/planning emails, whatever. Everybody, you have to make sure there’s a pour for everyone. Even (especially!) for a wine you brought. Talk about cheap. It’s like playing first with the gift you bring to someone’s birthday party. Talk about bad form. And if you’re worried, bring a mag.
It’s never been a noticeable problem for me. But were it, I simply wouldn’t invite the offending party back. Most of the issue will be dealt with if you just address it up front and straight on.
No wonder we’ve never been asked back to your folks’ place…
We use beakers. 40ml pours for 16 people max. Works great. This is only for sit-down tastings; informal events are free-for-all.
We’ve used them in some groups I was in but eventually gave up for the reasons mentioned.
You have to up-end the wine usually and that sucks for older wines.
I’ve been in a couple groups for many years and everyone has their own glasses but they know how much to pour from a bottle. And it’s never more than 12 people, which is the max number to ensure that everyone gets a comfortable pour and you can revisit later.
If you’re talking about the kind of an event where it’s a dinner at some restaurant or home, and people only have one or two or three glasses and are passing around a bottle at a time, which is what most OLs are, then it can be a problem.
Best solution is to have one person pour or as suggested, use some kind of measure for the first round and then let people use their glass for the rest. If you have a wax crayon it helps because they can mark their glasses.
The other downside of those devices is that even people who aren’t in the business and pouring all the time have a kind of muscle memory of the wine bottle. That device sticks out a couple of inches and as the night goes on, people get clumsier and it can become a problem. Just like people with backpacks who are used to taking up X amount of space but forget that they have 10 inches extra depth on their backs when standing in a crowded subway.
This is only an issue when you have a large number of tasters.
Ten people / 2.5 oz per person / I’d say eyeballing is sufficient.
With 15 or more people (esp with a rare bottle) it can be tricky.
I have used measured pour devices and it has been fine.
There can be an issue with sediment but it is manageable.
An alternative is to mark the glasses before the tasting.
Pour 2 oz (or what you want) of water into a wine glass and mark the top line with a marker.
Repeat with each glass or line-up the glasses and mark based on the first.
Pat
The times it has gone bad is when you have 15-20 bottles for 12-15 people and some get tipsy. I haven’t used a pour spout before and am personally great at pouring (years of pouring experience), but I have never seen it applied and thought I would ask. I spoke to a good friend about it and we thought it would ruin the atmosphere. I usually don’t go to large tastings and try to stay at the 6-8 person level. Yet, sometimes a larger event is welcomed in the routine.
A friend recently used a jigger at a tasting (just for himself, to avoid sucking at pouring). Seems like a simpler solution.
Our “Monday table” group always use a set of measuring cylinders. For old wines we may be getting down to 60 ml pours and it just makes it a lot easier to manage.