Due to the current world happenings, visiting wineries right now may not be an option but that doesn’t mean that all wine tasting has to be canceled. The rise of virtual tasting experiences and being able to sip in the comfort of your own home have taken the internet by storm over these last few weeks and is the best way to bring wine country to you! While it’s not ideal and nothing can replace sitting at a winery, overlooking a vineyard, while sipping on wine…*sigh*…It’s been really cool to see wineries adapt and turn to digital technology to bring the winery experience into our homes.
I tested out a number of different types of virtual wine tasting experiences and highly recommend all of these listed below. Keep in mind, these are the type of virtual tastings that require purchasing their virtual experience package, however a number of wineries and wine bloggers (like me!) are also hosting free virtual tastings on social media right now too, which is great! But if you’re looking for something a little more personalized and want to also purchase the wine – these are for you!
Fire up your laptop, grab the wine glasses and prepare to be transported to wine country, virtually!
Tablas Creek Vineyard
I loved how laid back this virtual tasting was, as it felt like I was just chatting with a friend about wine – which I think is a testament to Tablas Creek’s friendly Paso Robles nature. In this virtual tasting experience you are led through four wines, including a vintage perspective, tasting of their flagship Espirit de Tablas wines. Tablas Creek specializes in Rhône varietals, and does a dang good job!I One thing I really loved was the option to purchase a virtual tasting pack of half bottles if you don’t want to purchase the full bottle version. I learned quite a bit about different Rhône varieties and the history of how they were first brought to Paso Robles.
Price: $121.50 for the 375ml pack + tasting experience or $230 for the 750ml pack
Bouchaine
What’s great about this virtual wine tasting experience is that you can truly make it what you want. Want to have friends join in from their own homes and have a group wine tasting? Or maybe it’s just you and your significant other wanting to sip through and learn more about wine on a date night? The Bouchaine wine educators will customize your experience to your preference. It’s approachable, affordable and isn’t a cookie cutter type experience. And if you’re a Pinot Noir lover, this one’s for you!
Price: Ranges from $59 to $250 depending on virtual experience chosen
Modus Operandi
Get ready for an intimate tasting experience with the owner and winemaker himself, Jason Moore. I was on the zoom session for about two hours and loved every minute, including the wines. Geek out with winemaker and chat about vineyard sites, winemaking practices and any other wine questions you’ve ever had – Jason is ready to answer them! Their super small production wines are big, vibrant and delicious. My favorite was their Cabernet, which was a blend of Coombsville, Oakville and Atlas Peak fruit. Also, this was the most beautiful virtual tasting box I received – it really made the experience feel extra special.
Price: $299 for four estate wines + tasting experience (use code watchmesip for 10% off!)
Brasswood
Are you looking for a way to taste and learn about wine in a group environment? Maybe make some new friends? This Zoom group wine tasting experience is hosted by the winemaker herself, Angelina Mondavi. The wines are incredible, especially the Cabernet Franc, plus Angelina is full of knowledge and has a plethora of fun stories from growing up in the wine industry to share. This zoom session felt like a party and was very interactive, which I loved!
Price: Starts at $300 for four estate wines + tasting experience
I hope you’ll find this list helpful when searching for a virtual wine tasting experience to try. Hopefully we can all be back to visiting our favorite wineries soon!
Thank you Raquel! We love the photo. And we’re happy that you found the half-bottles convenient. We’ve made them for years, mostly to sell to restaurants, and with most restaurants closed right now, this has turned out to be a great use for them.
One thing we should add… although we do the virtual tasting pack, people are welcome to choose different wines for the tasting, or even just open up Tablas Creek wines they already have. After all, who needs more rules right now?
Thanks again.