Virtual Wine Tasting
Stay-at-home orders don’t seem so bad anymore.
It may be a while before you are able to travel to Napa to taste wine in person but until then you can taste some of the region’s finest wines in the comfort of your own home.
Three of Napa’s top wineries have “reopened” their tasting rooms through Virtual Live Tastings. The bonus? This interactive experience presents an educational and entertaining way to spend time with your millennial age kids who may be living at home.
1
Far Niente – Oakville, California
What’s special: Far Niente, one of the oldest and most storied wine operations in Napa, has four sister wineries—Dolce, Nickel & Nickel, EnRoute, and Bella Union. Since only Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel have tasting rooms, this virtual tasting program is a rare opportunity to taste wines from the other wineries with one of their wine experts.
How it works: Order the wines you want to taste from the five wineries through Far Niente and then arrange a time to video chat.
Price: The price depends on which wines you order. Wines ship free.
2
Matthiasson – Napa, California
What’s special: Steve Matthiasson was Napa’s winemaker of the year in 2014, so it’s special to be able to taste wine with him, even virtually.
How it works: Order the tasting pack of six bottles that you would taste if you were visiting his tasting room. When it arrives, you can schedule a private live tasting via Zoom by reserving online. The wines include 2019 Rosé; 2018 Napa Valley Chardonnay, Linda Vista Vineyard; 2018 Napa Valley White Wine and 2017 Carneros Pinot Noir & Nebbiolo, Devorah Vineyard; 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; and 2016 Napa Valley Red Wine.
Price: $249 for the six-pack.
3
AXR – St. Helena, California
What’s special: Wine Spectator recently deemed AXR’s winemaker, Jean Hoefliger, “Napa’s rising star.”
How it works: Order one of AXR’s virtual tasting kits—signature virtual tasting kit 2.0 of current releases, red wine virtual tasting kit, or the single vineyard virtual tasting kit—and then set up a tasting with one of AXR’s brand ambassadors. The wines come with virtual tasting notes.
Price: The virtual tasting kits range from $165 to $645.
