Before You Pull In the Driveway: What Nobody Tells You About Your First Trip to a Farm Winery

We'll let you in on a little secret: the first ten minutes of any visit to a working farm winery are the most confusing. Do you park by the barn? Is that building the tasting room or somebody's garage? Do you just... walk in?

Relax. We've all been the first-timer before — and honestly, watching guests figure out our little corner of the countryside is one of the joys of running this place. But to make your first trip to Sunnybrook smoother (and a lot more fun), we put together this guide. Consider it the pep talk we'd give you on the porch if we had the chance.

First Things First: This Is a Farm, Not a Fussy Boutique

When you pull into the driveway, take a deep breath. Smell that? That's soil, grapes, and probably a hint of whatever's cooking in the kitchen at home. A farm winery is exactly what it sounds like — a working farm that also happens to make wine. That means gravel paths, a little dust, the occasional chicken sighting, and a whole lot of hospitality.

You don't need to know wine terminology. You don't need to swirl with confidence or know what "legs" means on a glass. Our tasting room staff will happily explain everything, and nobody — we promise — is going to judge you for asking what pairs well with pizza.

How a Tasting Actually Works

If you've never done a wine tasting before, here's the simple version: you'll get a small pour of several different wines, usually five or six, and you'll taste them in a general order — lighter whites first, building up to the bigger reds and anything sweet at the end.

A few things worth knowing:

• You don't have to drink it all. Dump buckets exist at every tasting counter. They're not rude; they're practical. Sommeliers use them too.
• Ask questions. Our staff can tell you which block of vines your wine came from, what the growing season was like, and why the traminette tastes a little different this year. We love talking about it.
• Take your time. A tasting with us usually runs 30 to 45 minutes. There's no rush, and there's always a second pour if something really grabs you.

Pro tip from the tasting room: if you find a wine you love, buy it that day. Small-production bottles have a way of selling out before the next weekend, and there's nothing sadder than a guest calling Tuesday asking if we still have the blush from Saturday.

The Vineyard Tour: What to Expect

Our vineyard tours are where the "farm" part of farm winery really shines. You'll walk the rows with one of us — usually whoever's free that day, which might be a family member, a cellar hand, or the neighbor who's been helping at harvest since before some of you were born.

Expect to see the vines up close, learn what's happening in the vineyard that particular month (pruning in early spring, canopy work in summer, the beautiful chaos of fall harvest), and peek at where the magic happens in the cellar. Tours end back at the tasting room, usually with a glass in hand.

Wear closed-toe shoes. The rows are grassy and occasionally muddy, and flip-flops have a rough go of it. If it rained recently, we'll warn you — but a little mud never stopped anybody who really wanted to see where their wine comes from.

What to Wear (Seriously, Somebody Always Asks)

The honest answer: whatever you'd wear to a friend's backyard barbecue. Sundresses, jeans, nice sneakers, a light jacket for cool evenings — it all works. Our tasting room is comfortable and casual, and the patio is even more so.

One seasonal note: if you're visiting in late fall or winter, bring a layer. Farm buildings run cool, and sipping red wine on a crisp afternoon with a view of bare vines is honestly underrated.

Kids, Dogs, and the Rest of the Crew

We're a family farm, so families are welcome. Kids can stretch their legs on the grounds while the grown-ups taste, and we've got non-alcoholic options at the counter for the designated drivers and under-21 set.

Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome on the grounds and patio — and yes, we keep a jar of biscuits behind the bar because we are not immune to a good boy. Just leave Fido at home for the indoor tour portion, since the cellar has to stay up to code.

Planning a bigger group? Give us a heads-up if you're rolling in with more than eight people. We can usually make it work, but a quick call means we'll have enough staff on hand and a table saved with your name on it.

Insider Tips: When to Come and What to Sip

Here's the stuff we usually only tell people at the bar:

• Best time to visit: Early afternoon on a Saturday is lovely, but if you want quiet, come at opening or on a Sunday. You'll practically have the porch to yourself.
• Fall is magic, but crowded. Harvest season means gorgeous colors and the most energy on the farm — just expect company.
• The seasonal pour matters. Spring calls for something crisp and cold off the stainless tanks; summer, our rosé disappears fast; fall and winter belong to the reds and anything spiced. Ask what's just been bottled or just been opened — that's usually the good stuff.
• Bring a cooler in the trunk. Trust us. You'll want it on the drive home.

One Last Thing

The best part of a farm winery visit isn't the wine — though we're proud of it. It's the slower pace. It's chatting with the person who pruned the vines. It's sitting outside as the sun drops behind the fields realizing you've been here two hours and nobody minded one bit.

So come on out. Wear the comfortable shoes. Bring the dog. Ask all the questions. We'll be here, and the first pour's on us — well, almost.

Check our website for current tasting room hours, tour times, and what's pouring this weekend. See you down the driveway.