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…