Wine tasting tours are always in season, especially for those planning visits to the U.S. west coast. And these have become creative experiences that allow wine lovers to traverse through underground cave mazes or play competitive bocce ball games in an outdoor garden.
Additionally, in that way, wine tasting tours in such locations as Willamette Valley’s Archery Summit and Walla Walla Valley’s Seven Hills Winery have set the stage for wine tasting experiences to not only appeal to a younger generation of wine aficionados, but will also reshape the way how wine is savor and sipp. Finally, here is a menu of wine tasting tours and sipping moments that can be experiences from Walla Walla, Washington down to San Luis Obispo, California.
New Tasting Room – Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Seven Hills Winery recently unveil a major refresh to their tasting room, which is house within the historic Whitehouse-Crawford building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Secondly, the winery offers elevated wine tasting tours and culinary experiences such as the Alchemy of Pentad where guests are invites to taste through six component wines, create their own blend and learn the skill and magic of a true winemaker.
An up-and-coming small town with an impressive farm-to-table restaurant scene, Walla Walla, Washington is a true epicurean’s paradise. In 2024, Walla Walla Restaurant Month will return in February, spotlighting the valley’s culinary stars and the local farmers and ranchers who make the region the “Breadbasket of the Pacific Northwest.” Furthermore, Dishes at Seven Hills Winery are masterfully paires by James Beard-nominate Chef Maximillian Petty of The Kinglet, the modern American farm-to-table restaurant also houses within the Whitehouse-Crawford building.
New Tasting Room – Archery Summit in Willamette Valley, Oregon
Archery Summit Winery is home to one of the top 50 wines in the world and as of this November, Archery Summit celebrated a huge milestone with the launch of an expansive new tasting room. Moreover, designs by Heliotrope Architects, the newly renovate & expand. Also tasting House boasts an 1800 sq ft encloses tasting room with a captivating fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows providing breathtaking views of the Dundee Hills, and an outdoor terrace allowing visitors to take in the views and crisp Oregon air.
Visitors to the recently expands estate can take a wine tasting tour and enjoy award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These include the iconic Arcus Pinot Noir, known for its rich, complex flavors and unparallel quality. For those who have visits before, the caves will still be available for tasting experiences 45 feet beneath the vines. Archery Summit’s 2021 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir was just awards Best in Show at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition.
New Culinary Tasting Experiences – Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens in Sonoma, CA: Wine Tasting Tours
Kendall-Jackson’s Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay is America’s top selling chardonnay. Set on approximately four scenic acres in Sonoma County, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens recently revamped their wine tasting tours and experiences, which include:
Seasonal Wine Flights & Bites
Masterfully designed to showcase how wine and food work together to enhance aromas, flavor, and textures, this wine tasting tour features a flight of Jackson-Estate wines – a tribute to the Jackson Family estate vineyards – accompanied by a spread of light bites sourced directly from Kendall-Jackson’s culinary gardens and prepared thoughtfully by the expert culinary team.
Wine & Food Experience
As one of the most beloved wine tasting tours in Wine Country, this five-course tasting features fresh, seasonal bounty harvest from the culinary garden is led by Executive Chef Tracey Shepos Cenami and features meats, cheeses, and other specialty ingredients from local purveyors. Each course is pairs with a selection of Kendall-Jackson’s small-production, limited-release wines.
Picnics
Perfect for any special occasion, guests may visit the wine estate & gardens for a customizable pop-up picnic curated by Picnic Potential. This experience offers several food & wine options, as well as different picnic designs to create a very special moment. Kendall-Jackson offers reservations for a picnic table and bocce ball, where guests may bring their own bundle of food to pair with Kendall-Jackson wines.
Cellar 47 Cave Tour & Tasting – Pine Ridge Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA: Wine Tasting Tours
Pine Ridge Vineyards in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley is best known for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons and Chenin Blanc + Viognier. Journey into the heart of Pine Ridge Vineyard’s wine caves to the Cellar 47 lounge for a one-of-a-kind experience led by an educated host.
The wine tasting tour begins with a guided tour of our European-inspired cave system followed by a tasting of the vineyard’s highly limited estate Cabernets, including its flagship wine FORTIS. Guests can also breathe in the fresh air with a guided morning hike through the winery’s terraced hillside vineyards, exploring sustainable farming techniques while sipping wines from the Stag’s Leap District.
Anniversary Flights – Chamisal Vineyards and Malene by Chamisal Vineyards in San Luis Obispo, CA
Known for its sustainably produced Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, Chamisal was the first winery to plant vines in Edna Valley in 1973, paving the way for one of California’s most cherish wine regions. At its San Luis Obispo winery, guests come back time and time again for The Estate Patio Experience, a popular tasting option where visitors sample five wines, including current releases of the exceptional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while overlooking the beautiful estate vineyard.
This year, in celebration of its milestone anniversary, Chamisal offers visitors the 50th Anniversary Flight Experience, a special flight of four wines along with an artisan grazing box from Stepladder Creamery and stunning vineyard views. If guests are partial to rosé, Malene by Chamisal offers a unique wine tasting touring experience in its Insta-worthy ‘69 Airstream. Reflective of the wine itself, the mobile tasting room – known as the “Malene Scene” – is parks adjacent to Chamisal Vineyards’ winery for the summer months.
Bocce & Bottles – Seghesio Family Vineyards in Sonoma, CA: Wine Tasting Tours
One of the oldest winemaking names in Sonoma, Seghesio Family Vineyards, was established in 1895 when Italian immigrant Edoardo Seghesio planted his first vineyard in the Alexander Valley.
Today, Seghesio Family Vineyards continues to pioneer the highest quality Zinfandel along with a treasure collection of Italian varietal wines. The winery offers multiple tasting options and is famous for its recreational wine experience Bocce & Bottles, in which reservations include a bocce court and two picnic tables for guests to sip the brand’s wines over a casual (or competitive!) game.
Other refreshed casual wine tasting tour experiences include the Grove Experience, a walk-in outdoor lounge + picnic space offering for all (kids, leashed pets, etc.) for those spontaneously deciding to make Seghesio a part of their day in Healdsburg, truly not to be missed!
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