Wine Shop

Communicable Disease Prevention

In compliance with the Orders from the Provincial Health Officer and the BC Government, masks are recommended in all shared and public indoor spaces in the south Okanagan regional district. This applies to all Staff and Guests. We thank you for your cooperation and support in maintaining a safe and healthy environment. A communicable disease is an illness caused by infectious agents or its toxic product that can be transmitted in a workplace from one per to another. Examples of communicable disease that may circulate in a workplace include covid-19, norovirus, and seasonal influenza.

We have implemented the following safety and sanitation procedures and protocols to ensure we prevent the spread of any communicable diseases and keep our Winery, Staff and Guests safe and healthy. No employee or guest will be permitted on the property if they are ill, have recently travelled, or have been exposed to other persons with a possible communicable disease. The fundamental components of communicable disease prevention include both ongoing measures to always maintain and additional measures to be implemented as advised by Public Health.

  • If you have had any of the following symptoms in the last 10 days, please stay home for your own health and the safety of others:
    •  fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscle aches or headaches
  • A strict hygiene protocol is in place for all staff including proper and frequent hand washing.
  • Signage to direct traffic and markers to indicate appropriate distancing may be posted throughout the property, wine shop and restaurant to aid guests in maintaining appropriate distancing from staff and other guests.
  • Hand sanitizer will be made available to Staff and Guests throughout and at each entry and exit point of the Winery.
  • Maintaining a clean environment by cleaning & sanitizing frequently touched surfaces and restrooms
  • We will ensure our building’s ventilation is maintained and functioning as designed.
  • Staff and Guests are requested to provide contact information for one person in each party, whether you are doing coming to work, completing a tasting experience or dining at the restaurant. This information will be captured and retained for 30 days.
  • Our local partnerships are very important to us, and we will only be working with tour operators who have the necessary licensing and a safety plan in place for our guest and staff safety.

Limiting the Number of People On Site

  • There are posted signs for occupancy limits, proper hand washing techniques, and signs of illness for our guests to read and adhere to. There are sanitizing bottles throughout the wine shop to encourage use.
  • We are using a reservation system that restricts the number of guests/tastings. Our expectation is that each Wine Shop Assistant can accommodate three tastings at a time, three tastings every 45 minutes.
  • The wine shop occupancy limit is 50% of stated capacity unless otherwise noted by the PHO.
  • Visitors without appointments will be accommodated as possible
  • Wine Shop Assistants may wear face masks while on shift, per the current PHO.
  • Upon arrival if the tasting is set up for guests, they will be directed to their tasting station. If the tasting station is still being cleaned and set up, they will be directed to wait in a safe spot (determined by host at that time) until ready.
  • No groups larger than 4 people will be allowed for tastings at a station when reserving.
  • Due to occupancy limits, we have a 19+ age restriction in place and will not be able to accommodate children
  • Groups larger than 4 but not more than 6 can make a reservation directly with the Winery but keeping in mind no more than 12 guests at the tasting bar at one time.
  • A group is defined as guests that are part of the same household, traveling together and/or part of your “safe six bubble”.
  • We ask that guests wait until their reservation time
  • Our host will direct the guests to their designated tasting area.
  • Social distancing reminder signage will be displayed
  • While a wine is being poured into the guests tasting glass, the Wine Shop Assistant will refrain from speaking.
  • Tasting bookings will be 45 minutes….30 minutes for tasting and 10 minutes for purchase and packing of wine and 5 minutes for sanitizing the tasting station. A slightly longer time is worked in for bookings of 5 or 6 people. It will be up to the Wine Shop Assistant to monitor the time to
    ensure the tasting is completed in the allocated period. If there is no appointment after or walk ins waiting, then there is flexibility.
  • Disposable spit cups will be available
  • The wine tasting bar will have hand sanitizer for guest use.
  • We are accepting credit, debit, and cash. Tap is encouraged. After each cash transaction, will wash their hands.
  • Glassware for guests will be sanitized in our high heat commercial dishwasher.
  • Wine Shop Assistant will sanitize the ta sting space for the next tasting appointment.
  • Washrooms are available to our guests on the hospitality floor of the winery
  • Through the reservation system, we retain contact information for one member of every party for thirty days in the event there is a need for contact tracing on the part of the medical health officer

 Wine Shop Cleaning

Cleaning Materials

  • Peroxide Disinfectant and Glass Cleaner RTU Cleaning solution is provided with gloves and rags.
  • Aprons are available for the Wine Shop Assistant
  • Rags should be cleared daily at the end of the day
  • A combination of disposable and professionally laundered towels will be used.

Cleaning Protocol

1. Washroom – The following surfaces need to be cleaned throughout the working day:

  • Sink taps and counters
  • Soap dispensers
  • Toilet Paper dispensers
  • Door handles and light switches
  • Toilet seats handles
  • A washroom cleaning log is posted on each of the bathroom doors to be signed off for every check

2. Hand washing

  • Staff should perform regular hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds following the official hand washing guidelines. Hand washing is done:
    • Before and after breaks
    • After touching or cleaning tasting bar
    • After sneezing, coughing or nose blowing
    • After touching a guest’s glassware
    • After using the restroom
    • After each tasting
    • After using the point of sale system
    • After accepting cash transactions
    • After removing tasting disposable cups and the spittoon

3. Hand Sanitizing please use soap when possible or use sanitizer. Also, please sanitize after:

  • touching personal phones
  • using shared equipment such as computers, POS systems and debit terminals
  • Hand sanitizer will be located for guests at the front door, several places along the wineshop tasting bar and just before the entrance to the bathroom

4. Surfaces for disinfecting

  • Door handles
  • Cupboard door and drawer pulls
  • Light switches
  • Washrooms covered above
  • Dishwasher handles
  • Wineshop counters area of counter close to POS after every customer
  • Railings

After each Tasting

  • Wine Shop Assistant will clean each tasting area after each guest ensuring all touch points are sanitized as above
  • Wine Shop Assistant will ensure that any laminated Tasting Sheet will be sanitized
  • Counter and credit card pin pad will be sanitized

General procedures and things to remember throughout the day

  • Sanitize your hands upon arrival.
  • Take your temperature upon and sign in.
  • Wash hands before starting any work upon arrival and often during the day. Sanitize often
  • Workers will maintain a 2 metre distance from guests and other employees as much as possible
  • Gloves will be available for the Wine Shop Staff who wish to wear them while pouring wines.
  • Wine Shop Staff will stay in the Wine Shop area as much as possible (bubble)
  • Wine Shop Staff will use the staff bathroom only and sanitize after use
  • Wine Shop Staff will wash hands after dealing with a cash transaction.
  • All procedures are guidelines only, especially to get started. We are a team so please help each other if an unexpected bottleneck occurs or a tasting runs long to get everything in place to move forward with next tastings.

Sickness Absences – What to do if you are feeling sick

  • DO NOT COME INTO WORK if you have any of the following symptoms:
    • Fever
    • Chills
    • New or worsening cough
    • Shortness of breath
    • New muscle aches or headaches
    • Sore throat
    • If you have travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days
    • If you are a close contact of a person who tested positive for COVID 19.
    • Call the winery at 236 422 2675 or contact your manager directly  if you are feeling sick even if you are not scheduled to work that day.
    • If you are displaying symptoms of COVID 19 or a communicable disease refer to HealthLink BC at 811 and self isolate for 14 days.
    • If you start to feel ill or develop symptoms while at work, the employee will need to notify their manager immediately and the employee will be sent home.