How do I pass on a winemaker’s palate and blending decisions to a successor?
A palate cannot be handed over in a document, so teach it by doing. Taste together often, record the reasons behind each blending call in plain words, keep reference samples, and let the successor make real decisions while you are still there to react. Judgement grows with practice and feedback.
Begin with shared tasting. Sit down with the successor at each stage: tank samples, barrel samples, trial blends. Say aloud what you notice and what you would do. Ask them to commit to a view before you give yours. Over time you will see where their taste matches yours and where it differs, and the gap is worth discussing.
Write down your reasoning, not only the result. A blend recipe tells them what was done. A short note on why you rejected a lot, or what flaw you were guarding against, tells them how to decide. Keep reference bottles or samples of the house style for each wine, so they have a benchmark rather than a memory.
Then hand over real calls in steps. Give them a blend to make while you watch, and discuss afterward. Be ready to accept a different style if the wine still sells and the customers are happy. Plan this over several vintages, not one. Succession planning guides can help you set the timeline, and your lawyer and accountant can help with the ownership side of the handover. Agree in advance who has the final say during the overlap, so a disagreement over a blend does not stall a vintage. Check in after each harvest to talk through what worked.
Key takeaways
- Taste together at every stage, and let the successor speak first.
- Write down why you chose, not only what you chose.
- Keep reference samples and hand over real decisions in steps.
Related reading
12 pages on the same subject.
Succession
- Expert answerHow do I pass my herd’s breeding decisions on to a successor?
- Expert answerHow do I teach my successor to time harvest and storage decisions at the orchard?
- Expert answerHow do I pass my bakery’s recipes to a family successor?
- Expert answerHow do I pass on the client call scripts at my answering service to my successor?
- Expert answerHow do I pass on my cabinet shop’s design drawings and shop knowledge to a successor?
- Expert answerHow do I pass on my pallet company’s customer scheduling routines to a successor?
- Expert answerHow do I pass on stain-removal know-how from my dry cleaner to a successor?
- Expert answerHow do I plan my tree farm’s planting years so a successor has stock to harvest?
- Expert answerHow do I teach a successor to read my hives and manage swarms?
- Expert answerHow do I train a successor to time sod cutting and delivery?
- Expert answerHow do I pass my custom seeding routes and field knowledge to a new owner?
- Expert answerHow do I pass my farm stand’s loyal customers to the next owner?
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat is succession planning?
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAdvice for succession planning - Articles and tools
Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.