For wine lovers, it’s a taste of how things used to be. With wineries shuttered to slow the spread of the coronavirus, business owners have pivoted to the Internet and social media, offering virtual tours and tastings as a way of staying engaged with customers who are sheltering in place. Depending on the venue, online events range from customized question-and-answer sessions to group chats to live streaming discussions on platforms such as Instagram Live and Facebook Live. So if you can’t get out to visit the vineyards and estates of California wine country, you can at least bring them into your home.
Buena Vista Winery
Located east of Sonoma, Buena Vista is the oldest commercial winery in California, still standing on the original grounds it was founded on in 1857. Not surprisingly then, considering this storied history, the winery’s virtual tour transports participants back in time to explore the vineyard as well as the oldest wine cave in the state, guided by an actor portraying Buena Vista’s founder Agoston Haraszthy a.k.a. “The Count.”
St. Suprey Estate Vineyards and Winery
Beginning April 30, this Chanel-owned winery in Rutherford is offering The Great Sustainable Seafood Tour, a weekly virtual tasting centered on seafood, led by estate chef Tod Kawachi and including a roster of guest chefs, among others. Each Thursday for six weeks, virtual tourists will receive a recipe paired with one wine from a six-bottle tasting kit.
Quintessa Winery
This winery in St. Helena has launched an Instagram Live series to educate virtual tourists about all aspects of the estate: from discussing the latest vintages and their biodynamic garden to hosting special tastings, such as one happening May 2 that will feature 2013, 2016 and 2017 vintages. For an aerial tour, 360-degree drone footage can be found here.
Far Niente
For a more customized experience, this Napa Valley wine estate, which dates back to 1885, offers an online tasting in which a wine educator takes the virtual visitor through a personally curated selection of wines. For something more social, while still practicing social distancing, they provide virtual group happy hours, in which they send the wine to your door and then schedule a time that is convenient for the entire group to meet.
Bouchaine Vineyards
At Bouchaine in Napa’s Carneros region, their tasting program lets tourists choose from three different virtual experiences, each with its own set of wines to be sent to their door. From there, the participant can book a session with a private host who — from a perch overlooking the vineyards — will guide guests through a conversation about the selected wines.