Fancy a taste?

Have you ever wondered about all those people who make the Taste of Tasmania the fantastic event that it is every year? Not the 'suits', the people who actually break into a sweat so that you have a good time. Sure, you notice the foreign sounding, wisecracking street performers, you notice the musicians, particularly the very good and the dreadful. But what about the people who clean up or even the people who serve you all that wonderful food and wine. Ever wonder about them?

Nope, us either. Well maybe if we think the service is a little slow or the tasting sizes a wee bit on the small side. Mostly we worry about fatso whose taking up too many seats or we're having a dose of the "oh come on, get a bloody move on" as we try to find our way to a seat without spilling too much of the food. We swear that the plates are designed to bend just enough that they spill food in the right amounts so just as you sit down you notice the plate's empty.

However, at this year's Taste of Tasmania we had no choice, we had to think of those hard working unsung food and wine serving legends. Instead of the usual sittin', drinkin' and admiring the view stuff we do at the Taste we experienced 'life on the other side'.

In what is becoming an alarming habit the fine folk from Puddleduck Vineyard rang up and asked us to help them. This time it was to see if we would like to "work at the Taste of Tasmania". Instead of replying "we are dead at the moment and unable to help" or "we have lost the use of our arms and legs" we have developed an equally disturbing habit of saying "yes".

So for three of the seven afternoons the Puddleduck and Waji Dips stand was alive with the sound of winepunters. Getting through the family friendly midday to 6pm shift was an experience for us and the 'lucky' punters we served.

What we learned

Firstly it's a bit daunting. 

It would have helped if we knew how to operate a cash register and eftpos machine before we started but fear is a great aid to learning. Aside from prices and making verjuice spritzers you have to be able to answer all manner of questions about the wine, the other Taste stands and "what should we see while we're in Tassie". What's more the Waji/Puddleduck combination proved to be very popular and as a result the stand was continually busy. Looking around it was clear we weren't alone in that experience. The Taste attracts more and more people each year and this time must have set some sort of record.

Secondly it's an adrenaline rush.

Maybe not the bungee jumping, ninja fighting or man versus wild kind but pretty good nonetheless. The punters are out to have a good time and this rubs off. It also helped that we liked the wine we were selling. This made it easier to bang on and on about it. There's no doubt about it, wine is a real conversation starter. You also meet a lot of interesting people who have often come a long way to sample what Tassie has to offer.

Some of our overseas visitors were of the English variety and they wanted to talk endlessly about something called the "Ashes" but all we had to do is start talking about the weather and that took care of that. "See that yellow thing in the sky that's called the sun and that sensation you're feeling at the moment that's called warmth" we'd say. The response? "Now what were you saying about this riesling?".

But there were also Americans, Canadians and Europeans of various persuasions who had no idea what the "Ashes" were but also didn't want to talk about the weather. It's easy to forget what a successful tourist destination Tasmania has become and some of the credit has to go to the Taste of Tasmania.

Thirdly it's educational

The Taste this year featured 'Red Hat Tours'. Rather than just serve wine there was a push to have people learn something about the wine and the people who make it (Very winepunterish, we are obviously having a influence - Ed). Inquiring minds could sign up for the white wine or red wine tour. A volunteer guide would then take the keen punters on a spot of learnin' to each of the vineyard/winery stalls for an educated tasting. 

The first 'Red Hat' group appearing at our stall caused our hearts to beat furiously and our brains to go into overdrive as we tried desperately to think of something educational or even sensible to say. To make matters worse, we had heard that hidden amongst the punters were wine journalists and others who knew a bit about the wine caper.

However somehow we managed to do ourselves and Puddleduck proud. Frankly it's fun to talk to people who are as genuinely interested in wine as us. Some of them even came back and bought a few bottles!

Lastly it's full of funny moments

We think wine brings out the best in most people. Sure Michelle had to deal with a couple of 'lads', who appeared to have more piercings than skin on their faces, hell bent on sculling rather than tasting, but everyone else was a pleasure. This is because while alcohol doesn't make you stronger, better looking or smarter it does increase your chances of being unintentionally funny.

The "Falls Festival" refugees who based their decision on what to buy on how to maximise the amount of alcohol content entering their bodies. They ended up buying the Waji chilli liqueur "It's got the highest reading man". 

The elderly lady who, when told by PJ that the Puddleduck riesling would increase her chances of spending quality adult time with that special someone, replied "good I've got my eye on a real hottie better give me two bottles".

Telling people that the reason Puddleduck hadn't been at the Taste for three years was because Darren Brown had been in jail and them half believing it.

Should you try 'life on the otherside'?

We think that working a few days at the Taste is something everyone should experience. We are certainly planning to do it again.

As a novelty it is fantastic but as a permanent job no thanks. People who do this kind of thing day in day out have our unreserved respect, particularly if they keep their enthusiasm and passion despite the hours and occasional drunken knob.

But our Winepunters bow of approval has to go to all the volunteers who clean up at the Taste. No fun conversations or fabulous wine tasting, just dirty plate after dirty plate. Frankly they deserve a medal.

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