Ever feel like you’re speaking a different language from your customers?
There is a disconnect
You pour your heart into crafting exceptional wines, but visitors walk away without buying or joining your wine club.
While wine country is still a top tourism destination, most visitors aren’t looking for a technical wine education. They want to feel welcomed, understood, and guided through a memorable sensory experience—without being overwhelmed by tasting notes or winemaking jargon.
Traditional wine tasting rituals are intimidating and frankly do not serve your wines, when the goal is to create a memorable experience for your guests. These rituals were designed for judging wine quality not for the tasters enjoyment.
Expecting all winery visitors to be expert tasters creates deceiving interactions between visitors and staff
Research shows today's consumers crave connection, ambiance, and the chance to enjoy your wines in a way that feels approachable and authentic.
That’s where sensory tasting techniques come in.
A new approach to consider
By shifting focus from education to experience, your tasting room becomes more engaging, inclusive, and aligned with what today’s consumers want.
- The wine taster becomes the center of the experience.
- Your staff gently guides visitors to explore wine through their own senses.
- Everyone—from connoisseur to casual sipper—feels seen, heard, and respected.
These small but powerful adjustments help visitors connect emotionally with your wines, increasing the chance they’ll join your club, buy a few bottles, or rave about their visit online.
Introducing the Sensory Tasting Experience Tune-Up
A science-backed, experience-driven assessment designed to uncover hidden opportunities in your tasting room experiences—so more guests leave satisfied, converted into loyal fans.
What you get:
- 30-Min Planning Call – We’ll align on the tasting experience(s) to review and cover logistics, so you have clarity on what to expect.
- 2-Hour Live Tune-Up (On-Site or Virtual) – I’ll experience your tasting room like a guest and assess the full journey: staff interactions, sensory cues, experience flow, and customer touch points. You'll get my honest feedback.
- Custom Report – A tailored action plan with what’s working, what could improve, and easy-to-implement ideas to elevate your experience.
- 30-Min Strategy Call – We’ll review your report together and map out next steps.
Why this new approach works:
- Based on science, not guesswork – I draw from years of experience in wine consumer research and sensory science (the science studying what we perceive through our senses) to help you craft experiences people remember.
- Tailored to your business – Every winery is different. You won’t get generic advice—you’ll get practical solutions that work for your space, team, and brand.
- Quick wins that last – Small changes lead to better reviews, stronger email list growth, and more wine club sign-ups.
Hi, I'm Isabelle Lesschaeve
I'm a sensory scientist with over 30 years of experience (ex-Gallo and ex-Coca-Cola). I founded InnoVinum to help wine professionals cultivate deeper relationships with their consumers through enhanced sensory tasting.
I deliver education in sensory science to both professionals and enthusiasts.
I partner with wine businesses to utilize robust sensory data to inform their development and marketing activities.
I have studied tourist motivations to visit wineries and have an extensive experience leading wine tasting with consumers.
The fine print:
>> A Ph.D. in Food Science, specializing in Sensory Science, from the University of Burgundy, France.
>> Authored or co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters
>>Guest speaker at major international wine symposiums.
>> VP of Scholarships for the American Wine Society Educational Foundation's Board of Trustees.
NEW: Pilot Offer for Early Adopters
This is a brand-new service, and I’m offering it at a special founding rate of $497 (a $300.00 discount from the regular rate) to a small group of wineries ready to experiment and help shape the future of tasting room experiences.
In exchange, I’ll ask for your honest feedback—and if you love it, a short testimonial.
Book With Confidence
- Money-Back Promise:
If, after our strategy call, you don’t feel you got actionable value, just let me know. I’ll refund your investment—no hard feelings. - Bonus Resource:
Book now and receive a free download: "5 Mistakes Tasting Rooms Make Without Realizing (And How to Fix Them)".
How It Works
Step 1: Book Your Planning Call
After checkout, you'll receive a link to schedule the planning call and complete a short intake form
Step 2: Schedule Your Tune-Up Session
At the end of the planning call, we’ll book your 2-hour session.
Step 3: Live Experience Review
Your team treats me like any other guest. I’ll assess how the tasting experience flows, how sensory language is used, and how your staff interacts with visitors (virtually or on-site).
Step 4: Custom Report + Strategy Call
You’ll receive a written report within 7 business days. Then we’ll meet for a 30-minute follow-up call to review it and discuss next steps.
Who This Is For?
- Winery owners eager to increase visitor satisfaction and loyalty.
- Tasting room managers looking to energize their team and improve the guest experience.
- Small to medium-sized wineries that rely on direct-to-consumer success.
The Sensory Tasting Experience Tune-Up is not a good fit if you're looking for...
- Gimmicks,
- Magic bullets,
- Social media dance moves or
- Flashy distractions.
This sensory review is about thoughtful, human-centered experiences that drive superior customer engagements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is this just for underperforming tasting rooms?
Not at all. This Tune-Up is for any winery that wants to enhance its guest experience—even if you’re already doing well. Small, thoughtful changes can help you convert more tasters into buyers and club members.
What happens during the live session? Will my staff know they’re being evaluated?
Yes, they’ll be aware. This isn’t a “secret shopper” scenario. I approach it as a collaborative, supportive experience. I’ll observe naturally and give feedback that’s respectful, constructive, and rooted in sensory science and consumer behavior.
What if I have multiple tasting experiences? Can you review more than one?
Yes! During the planning call, we’ll discuss which experience(s) to focus on. If time allows, I can sample more than one tier or format of tasting.
Is the Tune-Up an all inclusive offer?
In the case of an on-site Tune_up, travel and accommodations are not included and will be charged back at cost. In the case of a virtual assessment, I will request wine samples shipped to my location.
How is the virtual version different from the on-site Tune-Up?
In a virtual audit, I’ll walk through your experience via video call and digital materials. I’ll rely on your team’s walk-through and a customer perspective simulation. Having wine samples shipped to me would also help better assess the tasting conduct. Virtual assessment is highly effective for wineries outside my travel range.
Do you train staff during the Tune-Up?
This service is more diagnostic than training-focused, but the strategy call can include tips for how to coach staff using the report insights. If you'd like a dedicated staff workshop afterward, we can explore that as an add-on.
What if I don’t agree with something in the report?
That’s totally fine! The Tune-Up is collaborative. You’re the expert in your brand, and I bring in an external perspective grounded in science. We’ll talk through any recommendations to make sure they align with your vision.
How do I know this will pay off?
Just one or two more club sign-ups per month could easily cover the cost of the Tune-Up. Many of the suggestions are low-effort, high-impact tweaks that improve how guests connect with your wines—and stick around longer.
Ready to Transform Your Tasting Room Wine Experiences?
Let's bring a science-backed approach to your current practices and create memorable tastings for your guests.
The Sensory Tasting Experience Tune-Up
- 30-Min Planning Call (value: $150)
- 2-Hour Live Tune-Up, On-Site or Virtual (value: $600)
- A Custom Report ($400)
- 30-Min Strategy Call (value: $150)
