FAQ’s

Each Scheduled tour is priced a little differently, depending on what’s included, and that pricing can be found on the Wine Tours > Scheduled Tours drop down. Additionally, our guests typically spend $20 to $40 per person and per winery throughout a wine touring day, for tasting fees and about the same for lunch. Should you enjoy the tour, and especially the tour guide, gratuities are gratefully accepted. (Note, any monies designated by guests as gratuities for the guide, are 100% theirs.) As for private group charters, pricing varies considerably depending on what you have in mind. Fill out the Contact Us form above, or call us at 206-524-8687 for details.

Most wineries charge a tasting fee, generally $20-$40 per person, and some wineries offer special reserve wine tastings for an additional fee. It’s true that the tour cost doesn’t cover tasting fees. There are important reasons for this…

1-If you buy wine to take home, many wineries waive some or all of the tasting fee. If we paid the fee, you wouldn’t get that savings benefit, we would.

2- By the end of the day, some guests choose to skip or share a tasting, once again you wouldn’t get that benefit, we would.

3- We choose winery stops based on that day’s tour guest wine preferences. We’d never want guests to think we picked particular wineries based on low tasting fees, rather than who has delicious wines. 

So all in all, we think it’s more advantageous to our guests, if we don’t pay the tasting fees.

When touring Bainbridge Island wineries, we will make reservations at a delightful and locally owned restaurant, where you will select and purchase your own meal. For our Woodinville tours, we choose a boutique winery that also offers lunch, where you can purchase lunch or sharables to enjoy while tasting. This gives you the chance to pick food suitable for any special diet you may follow, or simply something that catches you eye.

You and your fellow guests will generally be picked up between 10:00 and 10:30, and will be returned to your starting point before 5:00, about 7-8 hours. On overnight and multi-day tours, we also average 7-8 hours of touring per day.

CANCELLATION POLICY FOR SCHEDULED TOURS: Customer cancellation of a confirmed reservation for a scheduled tour within 7 days before the tour date will be charged 50% of the quoted tour price. Cancellation earlier than 14 days before a tour will be charged a 10% cancellation fee only; for such early cancellation, Bon Vivant Wine Tours will refund any payment taken, less this 10% cancellation charge. A reschedule to a different day or a reduction in the number of guests constitutes a cancellation of the original confirmed reservation.

CANCELLATION POLICY FOR PRIVATE GROUP TOURS: Customer cancellation of a confirmed group tour within 30 days before the tour date will be charged 50% of the quoted tour price. Cancellation earlier than 30 days before the tour date will be charged a 10% cancellation fee only; for such an early cancellation, Bon Vivant Wine Tours will refund any payment taken, less this 10% cancellation charge. A reschedule to a different day constitutes a cancellation of the confirmed reservation for a private group tour. A reduction in the duration of a private group tour constitutes a cancellation of the amount of tour time. A reduction in the number of guests does not affect the total price for a private group tour — since group tour pricing is by time and mileage and not per person. Such a reduction in number of guests will, of course, affect the group’s expenses for lodging, meals, and winery fees.

Typically, you will taste 4-5 wines at each tasting stop. Sometimes more. These 1 -2 ounce tastings can add up to several glasses of wine, very nearly a full bottle over the day long tour. PRO TIP: Don’t hesitate to use the dump buckets, pouring out any tastes you don’t care for, it’s common practice and won’t hurt the winemaker’s feelings. Also, take advantage of the water provided by the wineries, to keep your taste buds fresh.

Where possible, Bon Vivant scheduled excursions include opportunities for a guided tour of a winemaking facility or in the case of the Bon Vivant Bainbridge Island Tour, vineyards. While we cannot promise, very often winemakers from the boutique wineries make themselves available to meet Bon Vivant Wine Tour groups.

It’s important to understand the geography of Washington State, as it relates to vineyards. Virtually all vineyards are in Eastern Washington some 3-5 hours across the Cascade Mountains from Seattle, where the growing environment is perfectly suited for grape growing (and cherries, apples, hops and wheat). If you want to visit those wineries and vineyards, that’s definitely an overnight adventure.

Here in Western Washington, there are a handful of small vineyards on Bainbridge Island, which you can visit on Bon Vivant’s Bainbridge Island Tour.

In Woodinville, you will find tasting rooms, some with winery operations and barrel rooms in the back of the facility, all of which are set up for unique tasting experiences.

Although Washington first gained a high reputation with white wines like Riesling in the 1960’s, current Washington wine production is about 57 percent red to 43 percent white wine. Wikipedia tells us: “Today there are over 80 grape varieties grown in Washington State. The main grapes used in wine production in Washington are Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah. There are also plantings of Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Malbec, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Tempranillo, Viognier, Barbera, Chenin blanc, Gewürztraminer, Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, Pinot noir, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel.“ Indeed, many fine varietal wines are made from these grapes. And with so many grapes in cultivation, don’t overlook blends, many premium or “flagship” wines at Washington wineries are high-quality blends.

For our travelers, Bon Vivant Tours will pick up and drop off visitors at most downtown Seattle and Eastside hotels, Airbnbs, and the like. To accommodate our locally based guests, we may be able to make special arrangements. Please call our tour directors at 206-524-8687 to work out any details

All lodgings recommended by Bon Vivant Tours either provide an appetizing breakfast or have a good breakfast restaurant nearby. You will also find excellent dining restaurants nearby for your evening meal. If tour guests agree on a restaurant and a common time for dinner together, there is the option of arranging Bon Vivant transportation to and from. We are happy to provide restaurant recommendations.