Wine Tasting Covid-Style Down the California Coast
While everyone has a different comfort zone, wineries up and down the coast are back up and running, allowing space for California’s favorite pastime -- wine tasting -- to resume with pandemic precautions. With mindful measures like thoughtfully-spaced-out tables, required face coverings, extra sanitization, and limited seatings, the risk of exposure is far diminished... and we’ll certainly cheers to that. Here’s where we’re sipping safely, from North to South.
Sonoma County
Easy-Breezy Picnic at Bricoleur Vineyards
A sweeping estate a short drive from downtown Healdsburg, Bricoleur Vineyards is the perfect setting for a bucolic picnic amongst the vineyards. Book an outdoor visit for their “Sip & Savor” experience, featuring their signature rosé, reds, and whites, paired with culinary pleasures, and featuring estate-grown produce, olive oil, and honey, all dreamt up by Executive Chef, Shane McAnelly and Winemaker Cary Gott. Up the ante with “The Essentials Picnic,” a pre-packed spread of house-made Piadini, estate-grown vegetable salads, and seasonal sandwiches, along with branded glassware and their picnic-perfect 2019 Rosé of Grenache. All experiences are available by reservation.
Napa Valley
Find Sophistication at Stewart Cellars
Wine-tasting is nearly synonymous with the storied Napa Valley, and there’s no shortage of outdoor tasting opportunities at the region’s hundreds(!) of wineries. Our favorite being Stewart Cellars, in charming Yountville. The family-run winery specializes in 90+ point single-vineyard wines (sourced locally), and their gorgeous steel-and-stone tasting room offers plenty of thoughtful outdoor tasting experiences. Try a seated tasting in their lovely courtyard, which walks you through four of their current releases, or for a more elevated experience, opt for a tasting of their limited production, vineyard designate wines from their NOMAD collection, paired with a selection of cheeses, whilst seated on the sunny patio outside the gorgeous NOMAD library. Reservations are available via Tock, and tastings are limited to 60 and 90-minutes, respectively.
Santa Cruz Valley
Discover New Heights at Ridge Vineyards
Climbing up, up, up into the Santa Cruz mountains, you’ll be surprised and amazed by the vines and the views awaiting you at the top. Ridge Vineyards’ Monte Bello Estate might be the best kept secret around, both for its stunning grounds, and the award-winning wines they produce. The estate has been producing wine since 1885, but was reimagined by four Stanford scientists in 1962, with an emphasis on single-vineyard, organic grapes, and sustainable practices. Open seven days a week, you can try their crisp Chardonnays, unrivaled Zinfandels, and other award-winning wines under the shade in their spacious outdoor tasting digs, with sweeping views of Silicon Valley below. Reservations for up to six can be made on their site.
Santa Barbara
Frolick in the Funk Zone
Though the nearby San Ynez wine regions boast plenty of vineyard-side tasting experiences, downtown Santa Barbara’s aptly-named Funk Zone is hard to beat for both convenience (read: travel by foot) and quality. Some of the best producers in the Central Coast have tasting rooms here, all within a few-block’s radius. Meander your way by foot, or follow our lead, and start at Oreana Winery’s friendly tasting room on Anacapa Street with a delicious flight of Pinot Noir, Sauv Blanc, and jammy Syrah on the sunny patio. Next, continue down Anacapa to Kunin Wines for one of the best rosés in town, along with stellar Zinfandels and Syrahs. Their converted street-side tasting alley is ideal for safe-sipping. Walk towards the water for another not-to-miss stop: Conway Family Wines’ Deep Sea Tasting Room, located on the pier at Stearns Wharf. Wrap up the day with a glass (or bottle) of their unbeatable Pinot Noir and grab a table on the deck to catch the sunset.
Malibu
Hit the Trails with Malibu Wines
Who said hiking and wine don’t go hand-in-hand? A perfect mashup of our favorite things, Malibu Wines' Wine Hike features a 2-mile loop through Saddlerock Ranch’s vineyards and organic gardens, along with a visit to the onsite Chumash cave paintings. It all wraps up with vino-to-go. If you’d rather sit and sip, their outdoor tasting room in West Hills features Saddlerock wines, craft beer, and pies from Two Doughs Pizza on weekends. Reservations are available on their site, for up to six people.
Orange County
Get in Touch with Nature at McClain Cellars
Located within Laguna Beach’s outdoor hotspot, The Hive, McClain Cellars’ impressive tasting room is all good vibes and even better wine. The sweeping, sky-lit tasting room features a 16-foot garage door that opens to the hills of Laguna Canyon, a perfect al fresco tasting setting for a flight of their San Ynez and Paso Robles-sourced reds. Make a reservation for their socially-distanced outdoor seating and spend a sunny weekend afternoon sipping their memorable blends. They also serve noteworthy artisanal popcorn, and are conveniently shouldered by Oliver’s Osteria and Kitchen in the Canyon, if you find yourself ready for a nibble after a few pours.
Marie Salcido is a freelance writer based between Mexico City and San Francisco. Whether posted in her home cities or exploring new locales, Marie’s keen interest in people has accompanied her throughout her travels — reaffirming her belief that the more you see of the world, the smaller it gets. Find her on Instagram at @mdsalcido.