I get many questions from friends who are traveling to Napa or Sonoma for the first time, here are my favorite tips I share with them and now with you.
Drink plenty of water–I cannot stress this point enough. When you are drinking wine you will get dehydrated. At most of the wineries, they will give you water, drink it! It really helps to keep you from getting too buzzed too early in the day. But it also helps avoid the headache the next day. I prefer to drink Smart Water, the electrolytes really help me avoid the hang over the next day.
Eat breakfast–If you plan to start tasting at 10 am, which most people do in wine country, you need a base. I make sure to have protein (eggs) and carbs in order to have a good base for the day.
Bring a jacket or light sweater–When you are taking tours through caves or barrel rooms, it is chilly. Layers always work when in wine country.
Designated Driver–I’ve done this many ways on trips. One trip we rented a limo for the day and managed to get to six wineries in a day (a little excessive) but we were not driving. Otherwise, determine at the beginning of the day who’s driving and who’s going to drink less throughout the day and take over driving. We try to be fair and everyone takes a turn over the weekend. You can also hire someone to drive your rental car. There are many options, but don’t drink and drive!
Picnic Lunch–I like to pick a winery for our noon/1 pm appointment that allows us to bring a picnic lunch. There are great options to take with you from Oakville Grocery or Atelier Fine Foods in Yountville. There are also many great restaurants to have lunch at, I’ll cover more on that on the dining page.
Take wine to dinner–If you found a bottle while tasting during the day, buy it and take it to dinner. Corkage in wine country is usually minimal and you can enjoy a great wine with your dinner.