Join Us for a Barrel of Good Times, The Best Barrel Tasting Experiences in Wine Country

Nov 05, 2020
By The Vineyard Vixen

Experience wines straight from the barrel...

Visiting wine country without experiencing the tantalizing rich aromas of oak barrels at a winery is like going to Paris without snapping a photo of the Eiffel tower, trying escargots, sipping Champagne at a sidewalk bistro or buying a statement handbag (you know the one) - you'd be missing out on the total destination experience, right?

The same holds true for experiencing wine country and never experiencing first-hand the ultimate in unique experiences- the barrel tasting. Barrel tastings are where you truly get to be one of the first to sample wines, long before they go into a bottle, or served at some of the best restaurants around the globe.

One is not necessarily like the other. Barrel tastings can vary from winery to winery, so it is important to read the experience descriptions. Some are offered in very posh luxury tasting rooms where the wines are thieved from barrels are pre-poured into decanters where the tasting commences at a seated table. While others may begin with a walking tour of the estate grounds and then into the aging caves where the wonderful musty aroma earth, wine and oak barrels fills the air while you meander and taste wines thieved right from the barrel and poured into you glass. If you are lucky, the winery you choose will have historic hand hewn caves etched with the carvings of pickaxes used to dig them and a healthy layer of dust covered cobwebs that all well aged cellars develop over time.

Best Barrel Tastings

Barrel tastings give you a great glimpse into how wines mature over months and years in a barrel.

Del Dotto Napa Historic Winery & Tasting Room

Napa

Buena Vista Winery

Sonoma

Lasseter Family Winery

Glen Ellen

Greenhill Winery & Vineyards

Middleburg

St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery

Rutherford

Pence Vineyards & Winery

Buellton

Testarossa Winery

Los Gatos

Boxwood Estate Winery

Middleburg

Messina Hof Hill Country Winery

Fredericksburg

Raymond Vineyards

St. Helena

Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate

Healdsburg

Local Insider's Tip

Wine caves are naturally a consistent cool 55 degrees making most barrel tasting or cave tour experiences ideal for escaping the heat of summer. If you plan on visiting wine country during a heat wave, treat yourself by booking one of these experiences.