Since we love to hang out at 1723 Vineyards anyway, we thought it would be informative to do a write up on how things work at wineries. We figured it would be the perfect follow up to our The Four Dogs Tavern, The Whip Tavern, and COVID-19 – How Restaurants Work posts on how restaurants are functioning now under the COVID-19 Yellow Phase in Pennsylvania.
As soon as we saw the 1723 Vineyards advertisement on Facebook, we need no additional encouragement. We immediately called for reservations. Similar to other places that have opened in the PA Yellow Phase, any group at each table is limited to a maximum of 6 people. We got 2:00pm reservations for a table. One protocol they established was using plastic to ensure sanitary conditions. We were told ahead that it was perfectly fine if we wanted to bring our own wine glasses if we’d like to drink out of something more formal. Also stated upfront was to not bring any outside alcoholic beverages. That’s because the State of Pennsylvania prohibits it.
The Experience
When we arrived at our reserved time of 2pm, Sarah, one of the owners of 1723 Vineyards was there to greet us. She recognized us through our masks, and led us straight to our table. She went through the requirements they had set up to keep everyone safe.
Similar to the restaurants they had worked out social distancing in the vineyard. Given the large amount of grassed area around the tasting room, the tables were spread throughout the grassy area to offer everyone plenty of room.
And since there was so much space available, masks were only required indoors for patrons. But…the caveat is that you had to stay seated at your table. Which makes total sense to us. It would defeat the purpose if everyone was milling around with everyone else.
Knowing they weren’t yet able to offer table service, tastings, or wine by the glass, we headed into the tasting room to buy our wine!
Indoors, the directional flow was clearly demarcated on the floor, along with proper spacing for social distancing.
In addition to Sarah working the front, Allison and Tara were at the counter greeting us with smiles under their masks.
They had a chalkboard display filled with the various wines, cheeses, and crackers available for the day. With 9 wines, 14 cheeses, and 3 different types of crackers, they had a pretty good selection to choose from.
We got the Proprietary Red Blend and Rose, and started a tab. Staff opened both bottles and we headed out to the table to enjoy our time there. Our friend Dawn brought some of her delicious cupcakes that she sells under Cupcakes by Dawn. We chose the “death by chocolate” flavor.
The Wrap Up
The weather cooperated fully while we were there. As you can see from the pictures it was sunny. It was also not too hot, with a small breeze. Perfect for an afternoon out in public for the first time in quite a while.
All in all, it was an enjoyable time. We had the confidence of being safe, and we were still able to have a great time!