The 5 Best Virtual Wine Vacations to Enjoy Right Now
Tired of the long winter? Since most of us won't be able to embark on a California wine country adventure anytime soon, why not savor new wines and culinary experiences from the comfort of home to get your palate in the mood and your imagination running at full speed? We asked these California estates how to recreate the tasting-room experience.
St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery
Go on a tasting journey of six summertime dishes paired with Chanel-owned St. Supery Estate wines. Every Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. PT, from June 25 through July 30, the winery's chef, Tod Kawachi, will take you through the preparation of dishes such as duck confit flatbreads with burrata cheese, caramelized onion and balsamic compote or truffle marscarpone pasta, and make pairing suggestions, for an engaging interactive virtual tasting series. You can buy the wines ahead of time at your local store, or choose to get a tasting kit delivered right from the winery.
Silver Oak
Join Silver Oak's CEO David Duncan and winemaker Nate Weis for a broadcast from its new Healdsburg winery, certified a Living Building by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI)—the first winery and only the 25th project in the world to earn this designation. On August 1, at 12 p.m. PT, celebrate Virtual Release Day (the new 2016 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet) through live discussions with luminaries from the world of food and wine, including Kyle and Katina Connaughton, founders, restaurateur and horticulturist at Single Thread (Sonoma’s only 3-star Michelin restaurant); James Tidwell, Master Sommelier, Co-Founder of TexSom, and Jordan MacKay, author, Secrets of the Sommeliers, and The Franklin BBQ Cookbook. The winery is offering complimentary shipping on wine purchases, as well.
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
This winery is offering a Russian River Valley Neighborhoods Package and Virtual Tasting Experience which includes a specially-curated 6-Bottle Single Vineyard wine kit. It's a way to bring the Russian River Valley into focus through exploring the region’s “Neighborhoods.” Once your wines arrive, Estate Sommeliers Tiffany Kuhn and Kevin Patterson will accompany you in a tasting of the wines within the context of these neighborhoods. This summer, the winery is also offering a virtual series of Sunday Suppers featuring three limited-production, single vineyard wines paired with recipes such as Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken with Yukon Gold potatoes and Crispy Spring Vegetables for a three-course dinner. Included with the wine package is a detailed shopping list and preparation timeline so you'll be ready to sip and enjoy before joining winemaker Theresa Heredia and other dinner guests via Zoom.
Passalacqua
This Sonoma winery will curate sample sips just to your liking, in case you aren't ready to to go for a full bottle. It will arrange a set of three 2-ounce pours of its latest releases for you, after speaking to you at your convenience, and then once you've received the wines, set a time for you to enjoy a personalized, private tasting by phone or video with an associate from Passalacqua. With background on the wines and some stories right from the source, you'll get a sense of the personal connections that make for a great home tasting. And the cost of the virtual tasting kit is refundable with a six-bottle purchase.
Aperture Cellars
How about a bespoke wine tasting & cooking session? The package includes three bottles of Aperture wine, an interactive, personal cooking experience with Top Chef master Douglas Keane, and a wine tasting with winemaker Jesse Katz (both via Zoom and scheduled at your convenience.) 50 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Corazón Healdsburg, raising recovery funds to assist those most affected by the pandemic. This new winery (opening on July 9) also created recipe and wine-paring sets in collaboration with chef partners to make dining-in delights for you to recreate at home. They include recipes created specifically to pair with Aperture Cellars wines from home, and are available at special members' pricing, with complimentary shipping.
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