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

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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.

 

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. 

 

 

Featured Restaurants

We've curated a list of wine country dining hot spots you'll want to check out.

 

Cook St. Helena
Cook St. Helena

St. Helena

Monti's
Monti's

Santa Rosa

Rocker Oysterfellers
Rocker Oysterfellers

Valley Ford

Spoonbar - h2hotel
Spoonbar - h2hotel

Healdsburg

Tuscarora Mill
Tuscarora Mill

Leesburg

Oyster Loft
Oyster Loft

Pismo Beach

Featured Upcoming Events 

Napa & Sonoma County Wildfires Animal Relief Fund

CellarPass - Pass the Buck Program

Napa & Sonoma County Wildfires Animal Relief Fund

San Francisco, CA

Thursday, October 1, 2020, 8:00 AM

NAPA VALLEY   WINE TOURS & WINE TASTING

Black Cars Transportation

NAPA VALLEY WINE TOURS & WINE TASTING

San Francisco, CA

Sunday, November 1, 2020, 9:00 AM

Join Alpha Omega Instagram/Facebook Live at 5 #FinalFinalFridays @AOwinery

Alpha Omega

Join Alpha Omega Instagram/Facebook Live at 5 #FinalFinalFridays @AOwinery

St. Helena, CA

Friday, November 6, 2020, 5:00 PM

Under the Vineyard Vinyasa

The Meritage Resort and Spa

Under the Vineyard Vinyasa

Napa, CA

Saturday, November 7, 2020, 9:00 AM

EXPLORE: Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Furthermore Wines

EXPLORE: Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Sebastopol, CA

Saturday, November 7, 2020, 12:00 PM

Beaux-themed Tasting

Slater Run Vineyards

Beaux-themed Tasting

Upperville, VA

Sunday, November 8, 2020, 1:00 PM

United States Marine Corps Ball

Messina Hof Estate Winery and Resort

United States Marine Corps Ball

Bryan, TX

Tuesday, November 10, 2020, 6:00 PM

Cellar Society Release Nov. 14

1850 Wine Cellars

Cellar Society Release Nov. 14

Sutter Creek, CA

Saturday, November 14, 2020, 11:00 AM

Sparkling GSM Release Tasting

Notre Vue Estate Winery & Vineyards

Sparkling GSM Release Tasting

Windsor, CA

Saturday, November 14, 2020, 11:00 AM

Cellar Society Release Nov. 15

1850 Wine Cellars

Cellar Society Release Nov. 15

Sutter Creek, CA

Sunday, November 15, 2020, 11:00 AM

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