When you go wine tasting, keep in mind that the vineyards are in the country, which means there are not a lot of restaurants, cafés or grocery stores around. So we recommend that you plan your day with your lunch in mind.
We usually begin our day wine tasting around 10:30. We make sure to have something in our stomachs; it’s not a good idea to drink with an empty one. By lunch time we have some alcohol in our bodies and we know we’d better have something to eat. While planning our day as to which sector and wineries we will visit, i.e. Oakville, St. Helena, Russian River, Dry Creek, we always determine beforehand where we’re going to have lunch.
In Napa and Sonoma, some of the best chefs in the U.S. have one or more restaurants. There is no lack of great restaurants there. Also, most of the large hotels or resorts have dining rooms. The choice is yours to spend a few hours having lunch or take that time to visit a winery Power Tasting. That’s why you’re in wine country, right? You’ll have plenty of time at night to enjoy a dinner in one of those restaurants. We prefer to have a quick lunch and spend our time visiting wineries and discovering wines.
Some hotels will sell you a picnic box that you can order the day before and pick-up in the morning. Or, if there is a little deli that you have seen while driving around, make it your first stop in the morning and buy your lunch. If it’s warm outside, bring a bag of ice from the hotel ice machine and buy a small styrofoam cooler (most of the delis sell that), you’ll have it for the rest of your stay
Very few wineries now have picnic areas but some do, and if you have a wine tasting or buy a bottle of their wine, you can use their picnic grounds. Some sell charcuterie, cheese, bread sticks, crackers, etc. On a beautiful warm day, it’s pleasant to sit outside looking at the vineyard while you’re having your lunch. It adds pleasure to your wine tasting experience.
V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena has a Marketplace, Deli and Gift Shop where you can get a warm meal, chicken, sandwiches, salads and cheeses. You can buy your lunch, a bottle of wine and use their picnic grounds, something we have done quite a few times. Outside food and wine are not allowed on their property; it’s only fair.
Most of the wineries are far from a deli, or do not sell any food, and you could lose a lot of time driving around to find one. This is why you have to plan your lunch. In upcoming posts, we’ll write about our favorite delis and cafés with seating areas and restaurants where lunch is fast and inexpensive.