Cellar Tours and Wine Tastings

Cellar Events

More and more wineries are building cellars in the ground as a way of storing wine, keeping it cool and adding an attraction to guests visiting the winery. Since these cellars are built into the earth or in old stone buildings, it’s a very cost effective way of creating a cool environment—the natural insulation that old stones or earthen caves offer is substantial. Not only are more and more wineries building cellars, some older wineries that have been around are choosing to make them open to the visitors of the winery as a way to offer these guests a more complete wine tasting experience.

Some wineries even offer more than a mere tour of the cellar. Some wineries offer their wine tastings in the cellar itself! One example of this is Bella Vineyards and Winery in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County—they intended the tasting experience to be in the caves. It’s a very neat experience to go and taste among the stored bottles, wrought iron gates and barrels stacked everywhere. Other wineries offer events to their wine club members in the cellar—such as dinners or release parties. This is another way to offer a special experience to winery-going guests and fans.

Your Cellar Visit

How do you make plans to visit a winery that offers cellar tours on top of (or in conjunction with) the normal wine tasting? Be sure to plan ahead!

• First - Not every winery is going to have a cave or cellar—so obviously research the wineries in the area you are planning on going tasting.
• Second - Just because they have a cellar doesn’t mean you can actually tour it.

For example, Domaine Serene in Oregon has a wonderful in-ground cellar that’s all gravity fed—but it’s not open to the public normally. You have to make plans to go there on a special day or call ahead to ask for a possibility of a cellar tour along with the wine tasting. Other wineries such as Gary Farrell in Russian River offers a special private tour of the cellar along with a more substantial cheese and wine pairing one hour before they open to the general public (for an extra fee, but it may be worth the special experience).

Whichever you choose, again…just spend some time ahead of your trip researching, planning and making arrangements before you actually go out tasting. Cellar tours and wine tastings usually book ahead of time—especially during peak tourist season in wine country.

Plan Ahead

One thing to look for is the time of year you’re traveling to wine country. If you want to go during harvest time (late August to mid-October) plan on having the cellar tour be shortened or changed. Why? Because a cellar is part of a working winery. During harvest time there will be forklifts flying left and right, grape skins and wet floors and potentially harmful gasses being produced…all not so much fun for you, the visitor. On the other hand, a perfect time of year to go cellar touring and wine tasting is during "Barrel Tasting" weekends. Those events are usually held in early Spring or late Winter when the winery itself isn’t very busy. Some wineries that don’t normally offer their cellar to be toured open them up and taste you on wines straight from the barrel!

Special Experience

Once you do your research and plan ahead, you will have some wonderful wine tastings and cellar tours lined up for yourself. Sometimes these special opportunities cost a bit more than a normal wine tasting in the tasting room, but it can be well worth the experience. Remember to bring a jacket and dress in layers—cellars are kept at a chilly 55 degrees or so! Once you start your cellar tour, raise your glass and toast the wonderful juice in the barrel turning into fabulous wine right in front of your eyes! Cheers!