Spring brings a plethora of winery events, beer festivals and more to the Bay Area. Here’s just a sampling of wine and beer-centric events to explore.
Wine Blending Classes: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 8, Arroyo Cellars, 2270 Research Drive, Livermore. Taste wine samples with Arroyo Cellars’ winemaker, then create your own custom blend to take home. $95; www.arroyocellars.com/
Sonoma Sips: Through March 15, participating Sonoma wineries. More than 30 wineries are offering $15 Sonoma Sips, small wine flights that introduce you to their wines at a discounted price. Some wineries accept walk-ins, others require reservations, but be sure to tell your server you’d like a Sonoma Sip, and you’ll be set. Find a list of participating wineries and details at www.sonomavalley.com/food-wine/wine/sonoma-sips/.
Chardonnay Blending Experience: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 15, Cuvaison, 1221 Duhig Road, Napa. The latest in Cuvaison’s “Behind the Cellar Door” series will have you joining winemaker Steve Rogstad for a hands-on seminar on blending and a chance to help craft Lot 24, a chardonnay blend that’s part of the winery’s Cuvaison Community production. $125. www.cuvaison.com/winery-events/
Mustard Season Wine & Sausage Tasting: 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday through March 29, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery, 8440 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford. Celebrate Napa Valley’s mustard season with this special tasting of four wines paired with housemade mustards and Journeyman sausages. $92; www.stsupery.com/visit/
St. Patrick’s Day at McGrail: Noon to 4 p.m. March 16, McGrail Vineyards and Winery, 5600 Greenville Road, Livermore. Don your festive green-spangled garb and head for Livermore to taste McGrail’s Celtic Series red blend wines, hear live music and buy St. Patrick’s-inspired bites from Marty’s Joint Food Truck. $25 admission; www.mcgrailvineyards.com/
BYOB Bring Your Own Bottle: Noon to 4:30 p.m. March 16, Page Mill Winery, 1960 S. Livermore Ave., Livermore. Every third Sunday of the month, this Livermore winery hosts a “bring your own bottle” afternoon. For $11, they’ll fill it up with a delicious red wine – like the January gold medal award-winner they’ll be pouring on March 16 – to take home. www.pagemillwinery.com/
Cheese and Cheers with Janet Fletcher: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 20, Mumm Napa, 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford. This spring sparkling wine and cheese pairing class is hosted by James Beard-winning cheese educator Janet Fletcher and Mumm Napa winemaker Tami Lotz and features seven cheeses and four sparkling wines. $100. www.mummnapa.com/events/
Culture and Corks: March 20-23, Acqua Hotel Mill Valley, 555 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley. This four-day wine tour of Black and minority-owned wineries includes lodging in Mill Valley. $2,075; eventbrite.com.
Pigs & Pinot: 6:30 to 10 p.m. March 21-22, Hotel Healdsburg, 25 Matheson St., Healdsburg. Chef Charlie Palmer helms the 18th annual celebration which includes tastings, seminars and more with a cast of sommeliers, winemakers and celebrity chefs. Tickets start at $283; https://pigsandpinot.com/
California Artisan Cheese Festival: March 21-23, various venues in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. The 19th annual festival includes producer tours at wineries and cideries, as well as events such as beer and cheese pairings, a grand cheese tasting and a Bubbles and Bites celebration. Tickets $35-$175; https://artisancheesefestival.com/
Livermore Valley Barrel Tasting Weekend: Noon to 4 p.m. March 22-23, participating Livermore Valley wineries. Enjoy exclusive barrel samplings and bottled wine tastings from more than 20 Livermore Valley wineries, including Darcie Kent Estate Winery, 3 Steves and Pruett Farms, plus live music and a chance to chat with winemakers and fellow wine lovers. Tickets are $15 to $25 per winery, available onsite; www.lvwine.org.
Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Italian Cooking Class: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, 24724 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Learn to make authentic Italian dishes under the guidance of a guest chef. Afterward, enjoy a wine-paired lunch on the winery’s piazza, then take those recipes home. $145; www.jacuzziwines.com/events
Budbreak Party at Ballentine: 12:30 to 3 p.m. March 23, Ballentine Vineyards, 2820 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena. Celebrate spring and bud break with an afternoon of special wine tastings. Meet the winemaker, stroll the vineyards and enjoy live music and a taco bar. $75; www.ballentinevineyards.com/
V Foundation Sonoma Epicurean: March 27-30 at various Healdsburg locations. This philanthropic event, a fundraiser for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, includes wine tastings, gourmet food pairings, live music and dancing, as well as a Wellness Breakfast and EpiCUREan Symposium with leading scientists, at locations including Bacchus Landing and Montage Healdsburg. Tickets start at $750; https://sonomaepicurean.v.org/
Santa Cruz Mountains Grand Wine Tasting: 12:30 to 4 p.m. March 30, Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Road, Saratoga. Exploring the stunning grounds of the Mountain Winery as you sip award-winning wines from more than 40 Santa Cruz Mountains wineries and bid on silent auction items including rare wine releases, magnums and VIP vinfeyard tours. $79. https://winesofthesantacruzmountains.com
Pebble Beach Food & Wine: April 10-13, Pebble Beach Resorts. This star-studded food and wine festival returns to Pebble Beach with a lineup of chefs that include Alice Waters, Elizabeth Falkner, Stephanie Izard and Tim Hollingsworth, wineries such as Champagne Bollinger and Schramsberg Vineyards, and events ranging from wine seminars to lavish lunches, walk-around tastings and after-hour parties. Tickets start at $195. www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com
Battle of the Brews: 1 to 5 p.m. April 12, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Sonoma County’s biggest beer event includes beer samples from scores of Northern California breweries, barbecue, taco trucks, live music and more. $104; https://battleofthebrews.com/
BlendFest: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 20, Shadybrook Estate Winery, 100 Rapp Lane, Napa. This winemaker-for-a-day experience will have you creating your own Napa Valley blend with winemaker Rudy Zuidema. Enjoy a buffet-style lunch with current-release wines, then take a bottle of your own blend home. $275; www.shadybrookestate.com
Taste of Yountville: Noon to 3 p.m. April 27, Chandon, 1 California Drive, Yountville. This annual event features wines from 14 Yountville tasting rooms and farm-to-table bites in the gardens of the newly renovated Chandon winery. $175. https://yountville.com/tasteofyountville/
Spring Farm Festa: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10, DaVero Farms & Winery, 766 Westside Road, Healdsburg. This open house celebration features seasonal biodynamic wines, olive oils, vinegars and jams, along with delicious food and the chance to explore DaVero’s gardens in full bloom. $65; https://davero.com/
Half Moon Bay Wine & Jazz Festival: Noon to 5 p.m. May 10, Main Street, Half Moon Bay. Wine, jazz and coastal charm combine at this annual festival which includes “Taste of California” booths pouring sips from 50 California wineries, live jazz performances, a beer and cider garden and food stalls. Free admission, $75 for wine tasting tickets; https://hmbwineandjazzfest.com/
Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience: May 15-18, various Healdsburg venues. This weekend-long celebration showcases farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs with events ranging from a Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting to a Horn Barbecue lunch at Orsi Family Vineyards and more. Tickets start at $200; www.healdsburgwineandfood.com
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival: May 16-18, Anderson Valley wineries. Sample hundreds of pinot noirs with food pairings by local chefs over the course of this weekend, which includes vineyard tours, educational seminars, a barbecue and a grand tasting. Tickets start at $34; https://avwines.com