Tired of the ritualized sip and swirl? In Sonoma County and Napa Valley, wineries and tasting rooms are rethinking the formula.
As wine consumption evolves, so, too, does the experience around it. Increasingly, vintners are inviting guests to loosen the rules — to treat wine not as something to decode, but something to enjoy alongside whatever happens to be on the plate. The old pairings — Cabernet with steak, Pinot Noir with duck — are giving way to a more playful sensibility. Across Wine Country, tastings now feature unexpected companions: shortbread and s’mores, beignets and elaborate brunch boards.
Here are a few favorites.
Sonoma County
Cookies and Cabernet at Alexander Valley Vineyards
What started as a holiday treat at Alexander Valley Vineyards has turned into a year-round favorite. Each tasting flight arrives with five housemade shortbread cookies, thoughtfully paired with different wines from the estate.
The pairings range from classic to delightfully unexpected: think vanilla bean and sassafras shortbread with Chardonnay, or fig-pistachio with Cabernet Sauvignon. Culinary director Tim Gleadall crafts each cookie in-house, often reaching into the estate gardens for inspiration.
For those skipping alcohol, the kitchen offers a parallel experience of nonalcoholic shrubs — including fig, ginger-hibiscus and sorghum — designed with the same attention to pairing.
$30 per person. Reservations are required and can be made on Tock.
8644 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-433-7209, avvwine.com
Weekend Brunch Boards at Anaba Wines
At Anaba Wines, weekends are made for lingering. Guests can add a seasonal brunch board to their tasting — fried chicken and waffles, just-picked strawberries from the Watmaugh stand next door, and Camody cheese from Bellwether Farms in Petaluma all make an appearance.
The boards change with the seasons, giving you a reason to return. The staff offers pairing suggestions for each pour, making the experience feel more like a leisurely meal than a formal tasting.
Tastings range from $45–$65; brunch boards are $48. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Tock.
62 Bonneau Road, Sonoma, 707-996-4188, anabawines.com
Bubbles and Beignets at J Vineyards & Winery
On select summer days, Sonoma Wine Country gets a taste of The Big Easy. Fresh, pillowy beignets dusted in powdered sugar are served alongside pours from J Vineyards’ sparkling library, with live music setting the mood.
Scheduled for May 17 and July 5. $60 per person. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Tock.
11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-431-5430, jwine.com
Napa Valley
Savory S’mores at V. Sattui Winery
At V. Sattui, the campfire staple is reimagined as a savory course. Marshmallows infused with flavors like cherry-thyme or aged Gouda are toasted tableside and layered with housemade crackers and cured meats such as Italian mortadella and bresaola.
Chocolatier and pastry chef Katryana Zide keeps the pairings fresh, but the spirit is always the same: familiar treats, surprising flavors. The s’mores experience is part of the tasting flights at the newly revamped Mercato del Gusto.
$20, plus tasting. Reserve a tasting on CellarPass.
1111 White Lane (at Highway 29), St. Helena, 707-963-7774, vsattui.com
Farm to Brunch at Clif Family Winery & Farm
This multicourse tasting is a love letter to the region’s farms and fields, with ingredients sourced from the estate and neighboring producers.
It starts with Clif Family’s own buttermilk-cheddar biscuits, English muffins from The Model Bakery and Mt. Tam cheese from Cowgirl Creamery. From there, the menu unfolds into seasonal dishes such as charred asparagus with sauce gribiche and fresh herbs; hash browns topped with crème fraiche, caviar and vanilla-cinnamon bacon from Journeyman Meat Co.; and egg yolk ravioli with greens and ricotta in a rich bacon jus.
$125 per person; reservations required. Seatings are at 10 a.m. daily. Vegan pairing menu or mocktail flight available on request. Reserve a tasting on Tock.
1334 Vidovich Lane, St. Helena, 707-968-0625, cliffamily.com
Bacon & Wine Experience at Priest Ranch
If you believe everything is better with bacon, this wine tasting is for you. Four cuts of pork belly, each with its own seasoning, are matched with estate wines in a tasting that leans unabashedly rich. Recent iterations have included strawberry-rhubarb bacon with Merlot and ras el hanout — glazed pork with Zinfandel.
$85 per person. Reservations are required and can be made on Tock.
6490 Washington St., Yountville, 707-944-8200, priestranchwines.com