The highlight of the tour was Airis Ele. We were treated exceptionally well, the wine was high quality, and the tasting experience was generous. We were able to select five different wines of our choice with no restrictions. We were also served a beautiful charcuterie board and received thoughtful education on wine types, glassware, and proper tasting etiquette. It felt personal, elevated, and well-curated.
Unfortunately, the experience declined at the next two stops.
At Bingham Winery, the atmosphere was off-putting. The visual centerpiece featuring a white family standing in a cotton field was uncomfortable and culturally insensitive. There were no snacks, no seating offered, and we had to request water. The space felt more like a dark warehouse than a welcoming winery. The wine was not good at all and lacked depth or balance.
TWC Winery felt commercial and overcrowded. It was not a true winery but a retail space selling bottles from other vineyards. There was no history or craftsmanship behind the experience—just a store with tasting stations. The wine here was also poor in quality and disappointing for what was supposed to be a curated tour stop.
To make matters worse, both Bingham and TWC had very limited tasting options. We were forced to choose from either all sweet wines, all whites, or all dry reds with no ability to mix selections. This restriction took away from the enjoyment and variety that a wine tasting experience should provide.