Virtual Wine Tasting: Bringing the Winery to Your Living Room

As we continue to quarantine during the coronavirus, many businesses are starting to get creative, and wineries around the world are no different.  If you were hoping to plan a winery tasting tour, then you're in luck: many of California’s wineries now have virtual wine tasting sessions for you to enjoy.  Here are just a few:

Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery.  Located in Napa Valley, this winery is known for its sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, and additional red Bordeaux varietals.  Their virtual tour starts with you ordering their tasting kit, consisting of 6 bottles of wine.  Then, for six consecutive weeks, you will be guided through tasting each bottle on Zoom with St. Supéry Estate Chef Tod Kawachi, seafood purveyors and guest chefs.  You also get recipes that complement each wine so that you can make a meal out of it.  The next virtual tour starts April 30, 2020, and is called the Great Sustainable Seafood Tasting Kit.

Parallel Wines.  Parallel Wines in Napa Valley has taken a different approach that will appeal to a variety of wine connoisseurs.  They have three different options to experience wines from their vineyards:  on-demand videos which offer a 3-5 minute video giving a bit of background on a specific wine and then walking you through a simple taste test; a private tasting session for you and your friends where you purchase their tasting kit and then schedule a 90-minute virtual guided wine tasting session; and finally a free Sunday Live Video Tasting from 2-2:30pm PT (starts April 19th), where you’ll be able to interact with Parallel Wines' General Manager, Adrienne D. Capps (registration is required).  See all their offerings here.

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery.  Located in Healdsburg, CA, Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery is a premier vintner in the Russian River Valley.  When it comes to virtual wine tastings, they have several packages to choose from.  The first is a 6-wine tasting package that includes a virtual experience with the winery’s Sommeliers through the wines and the Russian River Valley neighborhood from the comfort of your living room.  The second is a 4-wine package with the Sommeliers leading a small group through the winery experience.  If you already have a bottle of Gary Farrell at home, why not try a third option – and join a virtual cellar party where you can ask questions, and share stories and meet others who enjoy their wines as well.  Reservations are required for all, and you can read more details of these fabulous packages here. 

Bouchaine Vineyards.  Also in Napa Valley, Bouchaine Vineyards has 3 virtual wine tasting packages to choose from, depending on your wine “experience”.  Winemaker 101 provides some wine tasting basics such as how does wine get its color and how the same grapes produce different wines.  Winemaker 201 explores acids, oaks, and color differences in white wines, what aromas and flavors oak barrels give to wine and more.  In Winemaker 301, takes you on a tour of 4 different Pinots, talking about what makes them different and even the techniques used in Pinot vineyards (or you can customize your selections).  Reservations are required.  Find out more on their website.

Big Cork Vineyards.  For a little east coast action, Big Cork Vineyards in Maryland is hosting weekly virtual tastings featuring their unique varietals and award-winning wines including Cabernet France, Nebbiola, and Russian Kiss.  These virtual tastings are on Wednesdays from 7:30-8:30pm ET – and you can access them through Zoom.  Visit their website for the link.

These represent just a few of the wineries that are offering virtual tasting tours across the country.  When you are ready to plan an “in-person” wine tasting tour, give Luxury Destinations Concierge a call at (805) 236-4437 – we’ll help you plan your trip of a lifetime!