Ralendar
California’s wineries and breweries are reopening once more for tastings by reservation. But if you’re sticking close to home, don’t fret. You can still enjoy a bit of that fun via virtual tastings. Here’s just a sampling of events online and in real life.
Cider Summit SF Virtual Tasting Festival: 6-7:30 p.m. April 17. Hear tasting notes on the ciders included in your festival tasting kit as well as local musicians. Choose from a festival-to-go harvest cider kit and modern cider option. $45$20. www.cidersummitnw.com Wente Vineyards Tasting Lounge: This Livermore Valley winery has reopened the patio of its tasting lounge, offering wines by the bottle and tasting flights of four limited-release wines, along with cheese and charcuterie or
This year’s Cider Summit SF will be virtual, with streamed tastings on April 17, and cider tasting kits shipped to you so you can taste along. harvest grazing boards. These Cardinale’s estate chefs and reservation-only tastings are held selected to pair with winemaker outdoors. Find details and make Chris Carpenter’s mountain wines, reservations at wentevineyards. each tasting kit includes a set of com/dine/restaurant. two to four wines accompanied by Cardinale Virtual Wine and an assortment of cheeses, cured Cheese Tastings: Crafted by meats and seasonal small bites.
$100-$150. www.exploretock. com/cardinale
Jordan Vineyard Hikes: Celebrate Earth Week with a 4-mile vineyard hike, charcuterie picnic lunch, Jordan wine pairings ($110) and a chance to see the Sonoma Valley winery’s efforts to turn acres of the estate’s non-native grasslands into pollinator sanctuaries for native bees and western monarch butterflies. Tickets for the hikes and tastings, which run April 22-25, go on sale April 7 at www.jordanwinery.com/events.
Monochrome Tasting Kit: This Paso Robles winery is hosting complimentary virtual wine tastings with the option of shipping wines of your choice or a wine tasting sampler kit ($25) ahead of time, so you’re ready for a Zoom sipping session with Monochrome’s winemaker. Details: monochromewines.com
Larkmead Estate Tastings: Head for Calistoga to enjoy a private tasting ($70) featuring four current release wines and a walking tour of
Larkmead’s newly planted research vineyard (weather permitting) for two to six people. 1100 Larkmead Lane, Calistoga. www.larkmead. com/pages/visit
Prohibition Spirits’ Tastings: This Sonoma small-batch distiller has just opened a new tasting room and bar on the Sonoma Plaza, with tastings (six spirits, $30) by appointment. Amy and Fred Groth’s 30-plus handcrafted spirits range from an award-winning limoncello to gin, vodka, rum and brandies, which can be shipped or purchased on-site. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 425 E. First St. in Sonoma; www.prohibition-spirits. com.
J. Lohr Vineyards Virtual Tastings: This San Jose and Paso Robles winery has launched private virtual tastings. Order a four-pack of wine ($130 and up), then pop the cork for the one-hour tasting session held Wednesday through Sunday. Order the wines and make reservations via jlohr. com/virtual-tastings.