Winter in the Bay can come with a chill, but booze can help ward off its frosty bite. From holiday celebrations to sip and shops, beer crawls, culinary delights and tons of tastings, here’s a sampling of local beer and wine events to check out this season.
Holidays in Yountville: Nov. 19-Jan. 1, various Yountville locations. Enjoy six weeks of holiday-related events including wine tastings, holiday movies, music performances, cooking classes, grapevine wreath making, holiday trivia night, cookie decorating and holiday light tours via the Napa Valley Wine Trolley. Prices vary. yountville.com/events/holidays-in-yountville/
Churchill’s Holiday Movie Series: 8 p.m. Mondays Nov. 20-Dec. 18, 198 Church St., San Francisco. Churchill Cocktail Bar is combining classic Christmas films, including “Die Hard,” “Home Alone,” “Elf,” “Bad Santa,” and “Christmas Vacation,” with film-inspired drink specials. Free admission. churchillsf.com/calendar
Wreath Making and Wine Tasting: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 29, 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, Suite 100, Healdsburg. Craft your own beautiful holiday wreath full of fragrant Sonoma County evergreens. The class includes two glasses of wine from The Setting Wines and food from Appellation Hotels co-founder and chef Charlie Palmer. $125. https://bit.ly/WreathsandWine
Cheese O’Clock: 5 p.m. Nov. 30 via Zoom. Janet Fletcher and Laura Werlin’s popular virtual wine and cheese event, Cheese O’Clock, are pairing up with Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. and Domaine Carneros for some holiday fun. Order the cheeses by Nov. 22 and the wines by Nov. 26 for ground shipping. Find details and ordering links ($174-$188) at www.laurawerlin.com/events.html
Tinseltown Pop-Up Bar: Nov. 24-Dec. 30, 149 Ninth St., San Francisco. Enjoy a Christmas speakeasy experience featuring Santa’s elves, tinsel, festive tunes and lots of winter warmer drinks, including a fabulous custom-created Christmas cocktail menu. $15 admission, includes one themed drink. bit.ly/TinseltownSF
Miracle and Sippin’ Santa Pop Up Bars: Various dates and locations in Livermore, San Jose and Oakland. Enjoy a pop-up Christmas cocktail experience featuring festive original drinks, over-the-top decorations and exciting new mug designs to bring the holiday season to life. Free admission, drinks and food priced separately. miraclepopup.com/locations; sippinsantapopup.com/locations
Sip, Swirl & Celebrate: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1, 1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma. Come out to Bartholomew Estate Winery for a festive event in the Gallery. Halls will be beautifully adorned, exquisite wines will be poured, delectable hors d’oeuvres will be passed, and enchanting melodies from a live cellist will fill the room. $75-$85. bit.ly/SipSwirlCelebrate
Holiday at the Farmsteads: 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 2, 1200 Paseo Excelsus, Paso Robles. ONX Estate Vineyard’s winter wine experience includes holiday food pairing ideas with ONX Wines, festively decorated farmsteads, live music and fun activities. Free admission. onxwines.com/events/holiday-at-the-farmsteads/
Healdsburg Holiday Sip & Shop: 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 2, 445 Center St., Healdsburg. Enjoy phenomenal shopping while sipping award-winning wine at more than 15 participating stops downtown. $35-$50. https://bit.ly/HealdsburgSipandShop
Holidays at the Estate: 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 2-3, 8761 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. Offering a warm welcome to the season, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery invites you to enjoy a splendidly decorated estate, festive entertainment, seasonal culinary treats crafted by chef Alec Graham and special pours of Ferrari-Carano’s acclaimed wines. $45. bit.ly/HolidaysAtTheEstate
Holidays in the Vineyards: 12 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 2-3, various locations in Livermore Valley. The Livermore Valley Wine Community is hosting its annual “Holidays in the Vineyards” with more than 30 local wineries showcasing decorated tasting rooms, special wines, arts and crafts, holiday music and special activities. Free admission. lvwine.org/event/10467/holidays-in-the-vineyards
Breathless Sparkling Holiday Party: 1:30 to 3 p.m. Dec. 3, 499 Moore Lane, Healdsburg. Let the holiday festivities begin at Breathless Wines, where all things sparkle. Join in a tasting of four sparkling selections, flatbread from the pizza oven and live entertainment. $30. bit.ly/BreathlessHolidayParty
End of Prohibition Party: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 5, 563 Second St., San Francisco. It’s been a whopping 90 years since the repeal of Prohibition, and 21st Amendment Brewery invites you to travel back in time to the golden age of 1933 for a Bees Knees shindig featuring a special tasting menu, handcrafted beer pairings, limited releases and live music. Free admission. bit.ly/EndofProhibParty
Bilingual Wine Tasting: 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7, 1345 Bush St., San Francisco. Always dreamt of the Wine Road? This winter, the Alliance Francaise of San Francisco and La Cave invites you to improve your knowledge of French language and culture while tasting and pairing a selection of six French wines. $85. bit.ly/BilingualWineTasting
The Setting Wines Holiday Celebration: 12 to 3 p.m. Dec. 9, 14210 Bacchus Landing Way, Suite 100, Healdsburg. Enjoy an afternoon of food, wine and friends at Setting’s Bacchus Landing Tasting Room. Sip the recently released 2021 cabernets and library vintage wines while enjoying a wide variety of culinary bites. $75. bit.ly/SettingWinesHoliday
Downtown Martinez Santa Beer Crawl: 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 9, Downtown Martinez. Dust off your Santa suit or ugly Christmas sweater and come join the jolliest bunch of Santas this side of the Bay. Stroll through Martinez’s downtown corridor, sampling craft breweries stationed along Main Street. $40. downtownmartinez.org/santa-beer-crawl
Winemaker For a Day – Pinot Blending Seminar: 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 9, 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg. Demystify the world of clones and try your own hand at blending. You will be greeted with a glass of sauvignon blanc, followed by splashes of Davis Bynum Clonal Pinot Noirs and end with your very own custom wine. $60-$70. rodneystrong.com/events/
A Master Class on Brandy: 4 p.m. to 5:30 Dec. 9, 1458 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga. Come out to Calistoga Depot for an in-depth exploration of the history and nuances of brandy. After tasting through our line-up of small-batch, cask-finished spirits, guests will explore classic and obscure brandy cocktails and taste a seasonal rendition of the most classic cocktail of all. $85. bit.ly/BrandyMasterClass
A Toast to Tinseltown: 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 9, 28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Enjoy a holiday gala at Ram’s Gate Winery. Step back into the glitz and glamour of Old Hollywood with an evening of fine wines, delectable canapes, decadent desserts, dueling pianos and dancing. $225-$250. bit.ly/ToasttoTinseltown
Sonoma-Cutrer Holiday Celebration: 12 to 4 p.m. Dec. 10, 4401 Slusser Road, Windsor. Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards’ tasting room turns into a holiday wonderland this season with wine tastings, light appetizers, Dickens carolers and strolling magicians, plus croquet games and photo opportunities. Free admission. sonomacutrer.com/about-sonoma-cutrer/events/
Napa Valley Mustard Celebration: January through March, various Napa Valley locations. Enjoy three months of special events including mustard inspired culinary delights, wine tastings and art exhibitions. Prices vary. napavalleymustardcelebration.com/
Napa Truffle Festival: Jan. 12-15, various Napa Valley locations. Savor some of the finest truffle cuisine in the world, paired with magnificent wines amidst the splendor of world-class Napa wineries. Learn the trade traits of truffles from the best Michelin star and master chefs, explore a working truffle orchard and see where and how truffles are harvested. Prices vary. napatrufflefestival.com/schedule/
Winter Wineland: Jan. 13-14, various Sonoma County locations. Explore Sonoma’s Wine Road at the 30th anniversary Winter Wineland. Taste current vintages, restock your cellar and chat with other wine lovers while exploring more than 50 local wineries. $75-$95. wineroad.com/events/winter-wineland/
Pinots for Paws: Jan. 27-28, Dutton Estate Winery, 8757 Green Valley Road, Sebastopol. Sip, savor, and support the Sonoma County Humane Society during this event which features wine tastings, a puppy kissing booth and pet supply drive. Free admission, RSVP required. duttonestate.com/Visit-Us/Upcoming-Events
Dry Creek Vineyard Barrel Tasting: 12 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 3770 Lambert Bridge Road, Healdsburg. Deconstruct the rich history and techniques of classical winemaking in Dry Creek Valley with tastes directly from the barrel. Enjoy the ambience of the cellar as you interact with the winemaking team, taste barrel samples, sip limited-production wines and nibble delicious bites. $40. drycreekvineyard.com/events/
SF Beer Fest: 12 to 10 p.m. Feb. 3, 2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco. Head for Fort Mason to try the best beer in town, all under the same roof. Enjoy a vast selection of specially curated beers set to an absolutely jamming soundtrack. $45-$65. bit.ly/SFBeerFest2024
Great Sonoma Crab and Wine Fest: 4 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 3, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. Come out to the 34th annual festival for fabulous pairings of wine, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, fresh Sonoma Coast crab and accompaniments and a live auction. $150. bit.ly/SonomaCrabWineFest
V. Sattui Barrel Tasting & New Release Party: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 1111 White Lane, St. Helena. Taste the 2023 vintage straight from the barrel during this party that features tastes from more than 60 wines, hearty food stations and live music from the Calvin Keys Quartet. $135-$150. vsattui.com/events/barrel-tasting-new-release-party/
SF Beer Week 2024: Feb. 9-18, various Bay Area locations. This 10-day event celebrates the vast community of Bay Area beer lovers and brew makers with hundreds of tours, tastings, whimsical events and more. Prices vary. sfbeerweek.org/
Winter White Wine Weekend: Feb. 17-18, various Anderson Valley locations. Escape to Anderson Valley for a weekend of white, sparkling and rosé wine flights, food pairings and special library tastings. $95. avwines.com/white-wine-weekend/#top
Have a wine, beer or spirits event to add? Submit it online at forms.gle/Cu9J6Ks2fQiQUcKk8.
