Calendar
Northern California wineries have reopened their doors for in-person tastings, festivals and special events, as well as virtual tastings. Here’s just a sampling.
As part of Bouchaine Vineyards’ Falconry Vineyard Experience, you will walk through the winery’s estate vineyard and learn how they use falconry for bird abatement during the final months of grape growing season.
Bouchaine Vineyards Picnic and Falconry Programs:
Bring a picnic, then pick up a Bouchaine wine bag ($150 for two people), which includes a wine key, water, two logo tumblers and a bottle each of Bouchaine’s Estate Pinot Noir and Estate Chardonnay. Or enjoy a falconry demonstration ($75) in the vineyards with master falconer Kate Marden Wednesday through Friday. Details: bouchaine. com
Makers Market: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and May 16, First Street, Livermore. First Street will host artists, crafters and makers for a shopping stroll. Restaurants, breweries and wineries will be partnering on “Flights and Bites” ticketed events and local shops have experiences planned. bit.ly/3sPQ7r4 Aperture Cellars Virtual Tastings: Join a virtual tasting in the comfort of your home. Purchase your tasting kit in advance of your virtual tasting. aperture-cellars. com/virtual-tastings
Alpha Omega BBQ and Virtual Tasting: 3 p.m. May 16. Join the virtual barbecue month fun with this tasting that features three Alpha Omega wines, a demonstration from the Baggett Ranch barbecue team and a sauce competition. Details: bit.ly/ 32VOaxI
Berryessa Gap Vineyards Wine Dinners: 6-8 p.m. June 12, Aug. 14, Oct. 30. Head for this Winters winery for a wine and international food pairing featuring Peruvian, Asian, Moroccan or Spanish cuisine. Bring your own dishes, silverware and decorations for your party’s table. $70 per event. Berryessa Gap Vineyards, 27260 Highway 128, Winters. Tock: bit.ly/2PzjmiN
Vintners Festival: May 2223, Santa Cruz Mountains wineries. Enjoy a weekend of wine discovery featuring more than 30 wineries, including some typically closed to the public. Tickets ($45$80) include tastings, by reservation only, at up to four wineries per day. winesofthe santacruzmountains.com Murphy-Goode Winery Tasting Lounge: This justreopened tasting room is offering wine flights, paired cheese and charcuterie boards, pool and shuffleboard. Noon-6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. 241 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. $10$25. Tock: www.exploretock. com/murphygoodewinery Cheese O’Clock: 5 p.m. Thursdays through May 27. Cheese experts Janet Fletcher and Laura Werlin’s guided, virtual wine and cheese pairing series continues with a new slew of delicious pairings, including an “Old, New, Borrowed and Blue” themed session with Chappellet Winery on Thursday, “East Meets West” with Frog’s Leap Winery on May 20 and “All in the Family” with Stonestreet Winery on May 27. The youare-almost-there Zoom sessions are free, but you’ll want to order tasting kits ahead of time so you can taste along. Details: www.janetfletcher. com/cheeseoclock