The Fine Art of Wine

October 1, 2020 by Janelle Becerra 1 Comment

We recently became aware of the wine art by artist Cecilia Anastos. Please take a minute to read her Press Release and discover her art work. You would receive a discount on purchases made through Wine Country Getaways, and you’d be supporting service dogs for adults and children with disabilities. Thank You!

The Fine Art of Wine:

Every year in October, we celebrate wine culture in the Northern Hemisphere. Wine-making is an art and, in celebration of that art, artist Cecilia Anastos presents her collection of wine bottle paintings along with a special offer to members of Wine Country Getaways.

The full wine bottle paintings collection is available at https://www.ceciliaanastos.com/wine-bottle-collection.html

You will receive a 20% discount with coupon WCG2020. Ms. Anastos donates 10% of profit to the nonprofit True Blue Service Dogs, Inc. When you support the arts, you also support service dogs for adults and children with disabilities.

Ms. Anastos expresses her art with acrylic paintings and oil pastels on gallery wrapped canvas or acid free paper. She adds her Italian sense of humor to her artwork – some of the bottles are labeled with the names of The Untouchable men from the Prohibition era, others have the ethanol formula on the label. In 2016, Giorgio Castellani from the Castellani Family Estates in Pontedera, Italy, received a commissioned painting from the artist. The painting was a representation of Bacchus and it was made with Castellani wine.

“If Bacchus ever had a color he could claim for his own, it should surely be the shade of tannin on drunken lips, of John Keat’s ‘purple-stained mouth’, or perhaps even of Homer’s dangerously wine-dark sea.”
― Victoria Finlay

Ms. Anastos’ wine bottle collection of paintings is contemporary, figurative and Bohemian style. Most of the paintings in the wine bottle collection are ready to hang, and she offers free shipping in the US.

When asked to select two of her favorite works, she pointed to the Untouchables series, and the Flip Flop Brut.

At the end of the movie titled “The Untouchables,” only Elliott Ness and George Stone remained standing. The painting titled “Untouchables – Wallace and Malone Have Fallen” (2016) represents that.

In her Flip Flop Brut (2016), the label has the ethanol formula and she wanted to express the dichotomy of the elegance usually accompanied by a champagne bottle with the casual attire rendered by the flip flops.

Passion for creating unique paintings drives her inspiration. She is a self-taught artist. She learned long ago to trust the teacher within and to go to her inner world to fetch ideas for paintings.

You can subscribe to the artist’s monthly newsletter at www.ceciliaanastos.com. Follow the artist on Instagram @ceciliaanastosart; Twitter @AnastosCecilia and LinkedIn @ceciliaanastosart. She can be reached at cecilia@ceciliaanastos.com.

Exciting Virtual Wine Country Encounters

September 3, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Each year we plan on taking a trip to a far off wine country or to a wine country we have not visited. With the Pandemic and other issues, travel afar is not possible. But we can see the world-famous wine country in a virtual experience. Here are some exciting virtual wine events to mark on your calendar.

virtual wine with National Geographic — Wine Country Around the Globe

Wine Country with National Geographic

The SOMM Journal, in partnership with National Geographic and SommCon are inviting consumers and wine professionals to a free one-of-a-kind wine tasting Webinar series called Geographic Digest.

Winemakers from all parts of the world will participate in a virtual seminar and wine tasting event. Through the company, BottleTribe, participants will be able to purchase some of the wines in advance of the Webinar.

The first webinar, “UNIQUE REGIONS OF THE WORLD,” will be on September 24, 2020: Wine, and thankfully great wine, is made today around the world. Eight winemakers from different wine countries around the world will be on hand to showcase wines unique to a particular landscape, soil, climate, and other factors. Although we cannot travel until a vaccine arrives, this can help us get through the doldrums of staying sheltered.

Juliette Monmousseau, CEO of Bouvet-Ladubay in the fertile Loire Valley will introduce a bottle fermented sparkler made from 100% Cabernet Franc.
From Germany’s Rheingau to a historic castle where only Riesling has been cultivated for over 300 years, Estate Manager/Managing Director, Stefan Doktor of Schloss Johannisberg will share a classic dry Riesling.
From the windswept sandy soils of Sardinia’s southern coast, we’ll taste the unique Carignano with Winemaking Consultant, Giorgio Marone of Agricola Punica.
From Napa Valley, Director of Winemaking, Ralf Holdenried, will introduce Black Stallion Estate Winery.
From Paso Robles, Director of Winemaking for J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines, Steve Peck will share their Signature Collection Cabernet Sauvignon.
Down the cool Pacific to Chile’s Cachapoal Valley we’ll taste a blend of five red French varieties grown in the foothills of the Andes, with Chief Winemaker, Cristian Vallejo of VIK Winery.
In Australia’s McLarenvale, Winemaker & Joint Managing Director, Richard Angove, Angove Family Winemakers, will dive into the deep purple hues of a single vineyard Shiraz.
And from Europe’s Atlantic coast, CEO Jorge Rosas of Ramos Pinto will take participants to the steep slopes of the Douro with a thoroughly unexpected flavor from one of Porto’s most historic producers.

Take the opportunity and pre-register now.

Duckhorn’s Cheese and Wine Event

Wine and Cheese Event on September 25 – 4 to 6 pm.

Enjoy three Point Reyes cheese delights matched with wines from the Migration, Goldeneye, and Calera labels. This is a virtual event which includes the cheese and wines sent to your home. The event host is Jill Giacomini Basch, a co-owner of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. and the winemakers. The date is September 25, 4 to 6 pm. Complete details and Ticket Purchase information.

September is California Wine Month

how wine is made — Harvested grapes ready for the stainless steel fermenting tanks

There are many exciting virtual events taking place across all of California wine country. September is California Wine Month, with the grape harvest taking place all month long. Check the Virtual Event Calendar and see which ones meet your wine fancy. Take advantage of these one-of-a-kind special tastings. See California Wines

Cambados – Albariño Land

August 1, 2020 by joe

Coastal Cambados - Small plots of Albariño vineyards — Coastal Cambados – Small plots of Albariño vineyards

Harvest time in Cambados – Albariño

Update as of August 1, 2020

The tourist office in Santiago De Compostela recommended that if we had a chance, we should be sure to visit the town of Cambados, “It is the center of wine activity in the Rias Baixas.” We packed our bags and left our Parador in Pontevedra, heading towards Cambados for a day trip before heading south towards Madrid. It turned out to be an excellent recommendation. Our day in Cambados was enjoyable and exciting. However, if you are not a wine lover, the trip might not be that impressive.

Albariño grapes in bins — Albariño grapes waiting to be shipped to the winery

Cambados is on the Atlantic Coast, and it was a beautiful ride as we followed the coastline from Pontevedra to Cambados. Everything was green in the area – the hills, the fields, and the vineyards; we were in Green Spain. As we approached the town, we took a couple of side roads and spotted workers harvesting the grapes. Picking grapes in the Rias Baixas is so different from that of the Napa Valley or anywhere in California wine country.

The pace is slow and methodical. In California, the workers literally run with their containers, toss the grapes into a one-ton bin, and then rush back to fill their cartons. Here, the workers have one bin that they fill and then leave it on the ground. The containers are picked up later, placed on palattes, and brought to the winery on small trucks.

Workers stand to harvest the Albariño grapes

In the Rias Baixas, the grape pickers do not have to stoop or couch to pick the grapes which is unique to this area. All the clusters are above them. All the vines are high off the ground. Rias Baixas is a soggy and wet wine country, and the high trellis system protects the grapes from rot.

Martin Codax – Coop Winery

We drove by a winery, Bodega Martin Codax. The crush was at a fever pitch at this winery. Trucks arrived with palettes of grapes that were then positioned on conveyer belts where the bins were dumped and sent to equipment for de-stemming and crushing.

Martín Códax is a cooperative winery, with more than 1,400 small vineyard parcels farmed by 550 families around Cambados. While we watched, several individual growers came to the winery with their harvest. One was a woman who pulled up in a small truck with a palette of grapes. I asked if I could take her picture. She was so proud of the grapes. Her faced filled with joy as she picked up a cluster of grapes to show us. “Aquí, pruébalos, no tienen químicos, son dulces y deliciosos.” (“Here, taste them. They have no chemicals; they are sweet and delicious.”)

Cambados is a wine town, and during harvest the entire village celebrates.
There are many Vinotecas or wine shops, and they are all about Albarino wine. If you visit Santiago De Compostela, consider a side trip for a day or two to this beautiful area that loves their Albariño wine.

One of the many small growers who are part of the Martin Codax coop

Martin Codax Albariño

The Martin Codax Albariño wine is widely available in the U.S. The wines are imported by the Gallo Family. BevMo and Total Wine stores carry the entry level of the Martin Codax Albariño for about $15. You might want to give a glass a try while you read our blog. Thanks!

Pappa al Pomodoro – Our try at making this traditional Tuscan soup

July 29, 2020 by joe

Janelle and I published this article on making Pappa al Pomodoro several years ago. The timing is just perfect for reposting the item. The COVID virus has Wine folks cooking at home, making sourdough bread, and gardening. With fresh tomatoes and Basil in the Victory Garden, it all fits for making this delicious Tuscan Soup.

At the European Media Conference in Italy, we watched Andrea Gagnesi in his kitchen at Badia al Cotibuono in Chianti, prepare a wonderful traditional Tuscan soup, Pappa al Pomodoro. I’d never heard of Pappa al Pomodoro until then, but it is one commonly prepared in the homes of Tuscan villagers. We each got a small taste of the soup when it was done, and I knew then that I had to try making this soup at home. Well, we have made it twice now and although we love my rendition of the soup, it is not quite as good as the one Andrea Gagnesi made for us that evening. We will continue to tweak the recipe until we have mastered this dish.

Andrea Gagnesi prepares his version of Pappa al Pomodoro

The problem with the cooking demo was that Andrea moved quickly and never mentioned exact measurements for the ingredients used. Some of it had to do with his command of English and some it had to do with his master chef skills, tasting the dish as it cooked and making adjustments on the fly. We took loads of photographs at the demo and also watched a Vimeo video that one of the follow bloggers made, but we had to do some guesswork on the exact amounts of all ingredients. Here is our take on how to prepare and cook Pappa al Pomodoro, perfecto for any season of the year. This recipe serves 6.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Two baskets of grape tomatoes. – This is what Andrea used, whereas most recipes call for Roma or San Marzano tomatoes.
Half a loaf of day-old sourdough bread, crust removed – crumbled in the food processor
¾ cup red onion chopped fine
¾ cup carrot chopped fine
¾ cup celery chopped fine
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Two cloves garlic chopped
2-4 cups of vegetable broth
Fresh Basil leaves – 8 to 10
Salt and Pepper to taste

Process the grape tomatoes in a food processor to liquefy. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce, and then simmer the sauce in a pot until tomato sauce thickens – 60 minutes.

Add three tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté and caramelize the veggie mix of onions, carrots and celery (Sofrito). Use high heat to cook as quickly as possible. When the Sofrito is ready, add one or two cups of the tomato mixture and the chopped garlic. Cook until liquid is absorbed and the mixture is very thick – about two minutes.

Add a handful of crumbled bread and mix together until bread absorbs all. Then add the veggie broth and the remaining tomato sauce. Add more bread to thicken and then cook until the soup mixture is thick. Maybe 30 to 45 minutes at a simmer. If you want a thinner soup add more of the broth.

Five minutes before you serve the soup, add the fresh basil leaves. Andrea tore the leaves into small pieces. At the very end, add salt and pepper to taste.

Since the soup is thick with the bread, you don’t need a huge serving unless this is your main course. Serve about a cup to each person. You can also garnish with a few basil leaves. You must serve this dish with a beautiful Chianti wine.

Buon Appetito!

VinoPal is Here

July 21, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Yes, the wine country is open. Tasting is outdoors and mostly by reservation. Visitors are back, but in fewer numbers. The fact is that small artisan wineries are hurting. The smaller wineries do not have the lavish outdoor tasting areas or big PR companies to promote their brand and bring in tourism.

The boutique wineries do not make a lot of wine and, because of this factor, there are no channels for distribution. They rely on tourists. They count on getting their wines into restaurants. How many boutique wineries will be able to survive by the time the Pandemic is over?

In Sonoma wine country, an idea grew to help the artisan wine producers. It is Vinopal. Vinopal and a select number of small wineries will partner to offer wine sales at distributor prices. Vinopal will enable these wineries to sell directly to the consumer and not to a middle-man. It is a Win-Win for both the winery and the wine consumer.

The consumer who joins Vinopal will be able to see a wine for sale each day. For example, the first wine on the docket is Red Car Sonoma Chardonnay. It has a 91-Point rating and lists for $38. The price on VinoPal is $26. Purchase four-to-six bottles, and shipping is free.

The consumer gets a great wine deal, and the winery keeps itself in business. WineCountryGetaways is working with Vinopal as an Affiliate. When a reader registers at Vinopal by clicking on the link below and later buys wine, we get a small commission. It will help us defray Web hosting and other business fees. You will be helping out the small wineries. Don’t let them be gobbled up by the big wine companies.

Join now: Link to Vinopal and today’s wine bargain.

Eco-Friendly Wine Route

July 6, 2020 by joe

Many wineries in the Napa Valley can boast that they are eco-friendly in some fashion: certified organic, sustainable, biodynamic, Napa Green or solar powered. If you and your friends are environmentally conscious, then you may like visiting these five wineries. Each of these wineries is currently open and accepting reservations. Call it your Eco-Friendly Wine Route.

The Eco-Friendly Wine Route

Robert Sinskey – Biodynamic
Honig Winery – Sustainable
Round Pond Estate – Sustainable
Frog’s Leap – Organic, sustainable
Casa Nuestra- Organic

This wine route is centered around the Silverado Trail that runs along the eastern side of the Valley. Use the map below as your guide for getting to the wineries that you would like to visit on this trail. Always check the winery’s website for tasting-room hours and for booking tours.

Robert Sinskey Vineyards

We begin our wine country getaway at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. The winery is located just north of Oak Knoll Road at 6320 Silverado Trail. It is on the right as you drive north. Robert Sinskey is a certified biodynamic winery and uses solar power. The terrace is a beautiful spot to sip some wine and take a look at the beautiful valley floor. Check the Robert Sinskey Website for tasting details, food pairing, and reservations.

Honig Winery

“Family owned, sustainably farmed, and solar powered” is the slogan at the Honig Winery. This winery officially had its start in 1984 and is one of the first in the Napa Valley to start a program of sustainable farming. It has been a model for other wineries in California. To visit and hear about sustainable farming, you will need to make an appointment. We are particularly fond of the Honig Sauvignon Blanc labels, the Napa Valley, and the Rutherford. “Sustainable” is a somewhat vague term, but essentially means that all farming adds to the land and does not harm the earth in any form. “Sustainable” also means that the vineyards will keep the staff working long term.

Honig Tasting

Round Pond Estate

Round Pond is one of the new kids on the block with the first vintage date of 2002. The MacDonnell family owns the winery, olive oil plant, and the vineyards. 95% of the grapes are sold to other wineries, with the remainder allocated for Round Pond Wines production. “Sustainable” is the operative word at Round Pond. The winery has one of the most impressive views for a wine tasting. The patio is where you reserve your spot and enjoy a variety of food and wine pairings. The gardens, of course, are organically farmed. Check the Website for the various tasting options and reservations.

The Terrace at Round Pond

Frog’s Leap

Frog’s Leap is another of the pioneering eco-friendly wineries of the Napa Valley. The winery has two different tastings for tourists, the Signature Seated Tasting, and the Guided Tour and Tasting. Both require reservations. Frog’s Leap is a popular winery, so plan accordingly. You will love the entire environment at Frog’s Leap.

Frog’s Leap

Casa Nuestra Winery

For our last winery, we head north almost to Calistoga to the Casa Nuestra Winery. This is another family-owned winery. This is a bit of a change of pace from the other wineries. Casa Nuestra is very small and on the funky side. It is a very fun tasting room to visit. The winery has been committed to organic farming for almost two decades. The winery also uses extensive solar power. The wines at Casa Nuestra are atypical of Napa Valley wines. Here you will find labels like Verdelho, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Tinto, and Symphony.

During the COVID situation, Casa Nuestra is only able to accommodate Wine Club members only. Please be patient, and try later in the year.

There are many other wineries in the Napa Valley that are eco-friendly. You can check this list to see what other wineries are environmentally friendly.

Legend of Stag’s Leap

June 1, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Stag’s Leap – the craggy portion of the mountain

Legend of Stag’s Leap and the land of Cabernet Sauvignon

Stag’s Leap legend tells the tale that the Native Wappo would marvel at a stag that was able to make incredible leaps over the jagged rock formations pictured above. Specifically, the Wappo would witness the stag leaping over the u-shaped rock formation in the center of our photo above.

The stag’s leap was even more impressive when a full moon was situated just above the mountain—the stag’s silhouette against the moon and its impressive jump filtered through the land for many years. Today, the legend lives on in the names of two wineries and the AVA of Stag’s Leap established in 1989. The two wineries are Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Stag’s Leap Winery.

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is the more famous and well known because of its historic Cabernet victory in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. Warren Winiarski is one of Napa Valley’s legendary winemakers. His 1973 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon was rated the top wine at the Judgement of Paris, besting a list that included Grand Cru Bordeaux wines. The results shocked the wine world and brought fame and fortune to the Napa Valley.

In 2007, Warren sold his winery to the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in the state of Washington and the Antinori Family of Italy. In 2014, Stag’s Leap Cellars opened a beautiful visitor center and tasting room facing the mountains and the vineyards below it. It is a dramatic and inspiring view of one of nature’s great works of art. The Stag’s Leap Cellars tasting room is open daily from 10 to 4:30. Check the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Website for tasting and touring choices.

Greeter at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars — The Greeter at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

Stags Leap Winery has an origin date of 1893. The winery is now part of the Treasury Wine Estates. The Stags Leap Winery Website.

Wineries in Stags Leap District AVA

Take a ride along the Silverado Trail, where it begins at Trancas Street and head to the north. The first AVA is Oak Knoll. Oak Knoll gives way to the Stags Leap District AVA. The area is famous for Cabernet Sauvignon. The names of Shafer Vineyards, Pine Ridge, Clos du Val, and Odette Estate are all synonymous with high-quality AVA. See all the wineries in the Stags Leap District AVA.

Additional Napa Valley resources

How One Winery Mastered Take-Out, Made-At-Home & Pick-Up Wine Pairing in the Era of COVID-19

May 23, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Lakewood Vineyards

COVID-19 has affected virtually all industries, with the service and hospitality sectors taking an exceptional hit. With restaurants, bars, and pubs all being closed to the public for indoor dining, pick-up, take-out, and delivery services have been expanding and adapting at a rapid pace to keep these establishments from closing their doors for good. Like their food-based counterparts, breweries and wineries have also been impacted by “Safer at Home” policies, fighting hard to stay operational. Most are trying their best to offer ship-to-home services in lieu of tastings and tours, but will these efforts alone be enough?

Certain wineries don’t think so, and are finding creative ways to appeal to a larger audience and keep their operations afloat. Lakewood Vineyards, an award-winning winery located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, decided to use this unprecedented opportunity to engage with their potential customers in a much more personal way. While they can only have 10 folks in their establishment at a time, they can virtually visit the homes of hundreds of their loyal fans and followers. The founding family and winery staff have taken to social media with not one, but two different Facebook video series focused on Lakewood wine and food pairings. These efforts, partnered with their limited in-person services, have allowed them to offer wine pairing advice for take-out fare, made-at-home meals, and pick-up grub.

Wine Pairing for Take-Out

Much like many of us who are ordering in food from apps, the Take-Out Pairings series was created to support local restaurants and offer up suggestions for exceptional wine pairing for each category of takeout. Each video features different members of the Lakewood team and focuses on a new local establishment. So far, they have covered pub favorites, BBQ, vegetarian meals, and brunch! While their recommendations are tailored to their vintages, viewers could choose to substitute any winery’s bottle of the same variety.

Wine Pairing for Made-At-Home

On the off chance that you’re not looking to pair delicious wines with local eats, then Cook + Cork may be more your style. In this weekly, Chopped-style cooking show, Lakewood staff members face-off to create a unique meal to pair with a specific Lakewood wine, using required ingredients that come from local businesses. Each chef is competing for the coveted Golden Spoon, and winners are decided via popular vote after each episode airs. It has proven to be a fun, feel-good way to learn about different wines from various members of the staff, and learn a thing or two about what foods you could cook up at home to pair Lakewood wines with. Plus, we love that it is supporting other area businesses that have been hit by COVID.

Wine Pairing for Pick-Up

Some businesses still allow in-store pick-up of food and beverage, and Lakewood Vineyards falls under that category. If you’re local to the area, they’re happy to welcome you to their retail shop. While visitors can’t stay for a tasting or guided tour, they are invited to pick up a to-go lunch from a local establishment and then swing by the retail room to grab a bottle of wine personally recommended by a Lakewood steward. With New York planning phased reopening, visitors will soon be able to enjoy their food and drinks on the Lakewood grounds, too. The extensive trails and quaint gazebo will make for the perfect spot for a secluded picnic that both supports local businesses and complies with ongoing social distancing requirements.

Wine lovers don’t have to forgo delicious wine pairings just because they’re at home on lockdown. Thanks to Lakewood Vineyard’s efforts, wine enthusiasts everywhere can get virtual advice on how to pair wine with take-out classics and how to match home-made meals with their favorite varietals. Local customers even get on-the-spot advice on which bottle to enjoy with their take-out.

Are you a winery looking to keep your sales booming despite COVID-19? Take a page from Lakewood Vineyards’ book and start creating virtual content that’s informative, fun, and timely! This is a unique opportunity to meet the ever-changing needs of winery audiences everywhere. How will you do it?

Article by Matt Salvadore representing Lakewood Vineyards

Underwater wine aging

May 18, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Yes, that’s correct. One winery is experimenting with aging wine underwater. It sounds like a crazy idea, but there is a reason behind the madness.

Wapisa experiments

The impetus goes back to the year 2010. What happened that year was the discovery of cases of 170-year-old Champagne bottles underwater. They were from the ruins of a shipwreck in the Baltic sea, heading to the wine cave of Catherine II of Russia.

Once the bottles were recovered, the Champagne was very drinkable to the amazement of wine experts around the world. Could it be that the saltwater sea is a perfect environment for aging wine?

Ten years later, we turn to the winery of Wapisa. Wapisa is an Argentine winery in Patagonia in the region of Rio Negro. The winery is 25 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. One thousand, five hundred bottles of a Wapisa red blend wine are aging at two different depths in the Atlantic Ocean. One set is at 6 meters and the other is at 15 meters. The experiment will last seven months. Then the taste and comparison will begin with the cellar-aging wine and the ocean-aging wine. The hypothesis is that one month of aging in the sea equals one year of aging in a wine cellar.

The experimental wine is a 2017 red blend consisting of 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet, and 20% Merlot. Patricia Ortiz is the owner of the Wapisa winery, along with the Tapiz and Zolo wineries in Mendoza. Several years ago we visited and toured the Tapiz Winery. It is a first-class organization with the latest equipment and great winemakers, including consulting winemaker Claude Berrouet, once the winemaker at the famous Chateau Pétrus in Bordeaux.

We love the Tapiz and Zolo wines. If you see them in wine shops, give them a try. They are terrific value wines. I particularly enjoy the Tapiz “Alta Collection” Malbec for $15. A year ago, I found the 2016 Wapisa Malbec at a Costco store for $14.99. The wine was fantastic and I posted a review on our sister Website, GoodCheapVino.com.

I expect to keep tabs on the experiment, and maybe even taste the wine in the future. I am looking forward to finding out if the underwater aging of wine is the new thing. If it works, perhaps the oceans of the world will be filled with wine bottles!

Video of the Wapisa Red Blend underwater

Argentine Wine Country

Tasting Rooms are Planning How to Reopen

May 11, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Just maybe the wine country will open later this year. Wineries and tasting rooms are making plans for the day they will be allowed to open their doors to tourists and wine country fans. What will tasting rooms look like when that occurs?

tasting rooms have plans for when open — Outdoor seating is ideal for social distancing

The Wine Institute and the Napa Valley Vintners are working on a set of protocols to open tasting rooms. In this scenario, your trip to the tasting room could look like this.

The tasting room of the future?

You will make an appointment online with one or more wineries. You will sign a waiver and consent form.

There will be a list of tasting options for your perusal. Or, you might like to order a glass of wine or a bottle of wine and enjoy the vineyard views. You will prepay for your visit.

There will also be a list of precautions the winery is taking for sanitizing the tasting room, tables, glasses, and the like. You’ll need to wear a mask, except while sipping wine.

When you arrive at the winery, there will be a drive-through area. The winery staff will check your reservation, tell you where to park, and assign you to a table. They may also take your temperature and ask about your state of health.

Your glass and/or bottle of wine will be waiting for you, chilled and ready to taste. The server will be the appropriate distance away and walk you through the tastings. If there is food included, it will likely be crackers or breadsticks in wrapped packages. I wonder if we’ll be able to bring our own picnic lunch to enjoy outdoors.

It is likely that wineries will be more aggressive in pushing their wine clubs. The wine club is important because it is direct to consumer and provides the most profit for the winery.

If you order wine for purchase, it will be a paperless transaction.

Other considerations

Will this be a day trip, and how many tasting rooms will travelers visit in an outing? If it is an overnight trip, what are the considerations for lodging and dining?

It is more likely that the tasting room experience will be more for the serious wine drinkers. The typical fun and socializing while tasting wine will be lost.

Will the tasting room experience under this situation be enjoyable enough for return visits to wine country?

We look forward to the day when we will be able to visit tasting rooms. The big question is, when that happens, will people come to the wine country and be comfortable in the tasting room? That is an unknown, and there are many factors controlling the opening of tasting rooms and restaurants. Will there be fewer cases of Coronavirus, or will there be another spike in the Fall?

All factors point to a long period of time before a tasting room will look like it did pre Coronavirus.

Amsterdam restaurant is using mini-greenhouses to protect customers. Could they be used in our tasting rooms and restaurants?

Sonoma’s Wine Road

I think this is a very entertaining video in Sonoma that is part of the Wine Road association. Watch it and support these wineries.

The Fine Art of Wine