Northern California’s Wine Country is frequently seen through the prism of a wine commercial: soft, sunny vistas of vines, drenched with ropes of water thrown by massive sprinklers. It’s a blend of idyllic and aspirational that resonates worldwide.
“It’s just a very beautiful, authentic place, with more trucks than cars. It’s really magical right now,” said Kim Stare Wallace, president of Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Vineyard, during a fall interview. “The lighting is amazing. The colors are amazing. It’s my favorite time of year.”
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Not Bigger, Better
For groups, the trick is to be the right size at the right time, since many venues in Napa Valley and Sonoma County host less than a dozen people and most starred hotels can accommodate fewer than 100.
“We tend to have a sweet spot of about 75 people on peak,” said Jonny Westom, vice president, business development with Sonoma County Tourism. “A group of 15 we can handle; 150 is about the largest size group the destination can hold in one hotel. There are more room nights available, but we try to keep it more intimate so the experiences are elevated.”
Ambitious fine-dining restaurants, vineyards and lodging first spend their days pursuing recognized excellence, then spend the rest maintaining it. The number of Michelin-touched venues in Napa Valley and Sonoma County (for example, the number of three-star restaurants represents 25% of all three-stars in California) encourages standards and economies that elevate the rest.
“Meeting groups represent around 18% of our business at The Matheson and about 5% at Valette,” said Dustin Valette, proprietor of Sonoma County’s Valette, Valette Wines & The Matheson. “Both restaurants offer distinct experiences that work beautifully for different types of groups. The Matheson, with its tri-level concept and multiple private spaces, naturally accommodates larger gatherings, while Valette offers a more intimate, Michelin-recognized fine-dining experience perfect for smaller executive groups or special celebrations.”
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What Michelin Has to Do With It
Many people consider eating at a three-star Michelin restaurant to be the experience of a lifetime. This can make navigating the waiting list a fierce battle.
Each county has, for example, a three-star restaurant: Thomas Keller’s world-famous The French Laundry in Yountville, in Napa Valley, and the SingleThread Farm, Restaurant and Inn in Sonoma County’s Healdsburg. While The French Laundry offers dine-in only for a group of 12, SingleThread can offer buyouts for 50 guests, smaller group dining options for up to 16, as well as offsite catering.
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Of the other Michelin dining establishments in the area, the newest is two-star Enclos in Sonoma County. Then there are the one-star restaurants: Auro at the Four Season in Calistoga, PRESS Restaurant in St. Helena and Auberge du Soleil, a restaurant and hotel in Rutherford. There are also six Bib Gourmand holders and 11 restaurants cited for excellent cooking.
Groups may fare better with restaurants that have a lodging component. At the 50-room Auberge du Soleil, bespoke attention is sprinkled throughout the stay.
“For breakfast, our house-made croissants are irresistible,” boasted Nicho Jarman, senior manager of group sales for the property. “Also, our guest departure amenity is very original—we provide a 100-milliliter sample bottle of our estate extra virgin olive oil made from olives harvested from our property.”
If meeting planners are surprised to find famous, signature dishes “off the menu” for groups, it’s because chefs are reluctant to serve plates that don’t scale.
“A true ‘hero dish’ in a banquet setting is one that maintains its integrity from kitchen to table,” said Matthew de Quillien, general manager of the Farmhouse Inn in Napa Valley. “Dishes with a short pass life can quickly lose their visual appeal and flavor balance if not executed with precision. The key is designing with both flavor and logistics in mind, so the dish arrives tasting as intentional as it looks.”
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Most venues also display a preference for California cuisine in a relaxed setting.
“I’m a strong advocate for family-style group dining, not only because it’s operationally efficient, but because it creates the quintessential ‘breaking bread’ experience that incentive groups truly value,” de Quillien said. “Family-style service allows for inclusivity across dietary preferences, ensures everyone enjoys a cohesive meal and naturally fosters conversation around the shared dining experience.”
“Flexibility and local sourcing go a long way,” offered Tim Head, director of sales at The Lodge at Bodega Bay in Sonoma County. “Choosing seasonal menus allows our culinary team to highlight what’s freshest and most cost-effective at the time of your event.”
Adventures With Wine and the ‘Secret Sauce’
When it comes to relaxed activities, there are fewer activities more casual than a picnic in Wine Country.
“We have a really beautiful area for picnics,” noted Dry Creek’s Wallace. “We have picnic tables. We allow food on the property.”
Wallace’s vineyard is close to the Dry Creek General Store, “which is this really neat country store from the late 1800s, and they have a deli,” Wallace continued. “We can do a preordered boxed lunch, and we’ll have it available for you with a picnic table, or you can pick it up, or you can bring your own food.”
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Most groups, however, want to get up front and personal with the wine experience, and grape stomps are a perfect introduction. They may not want to get in the vat I Love Lucy-style, but they will certainly enjoy the activities that vineyards offer August through October to celebrate harvest season. Visit Napa Valley supplies information about grape stomps open to the public, showcasing wine-growing lifestyle and pride.
“Napa Valley’s grape growers are proud to open a window into the world of agriculture and wine,” said Chloe Tyer, communications director for Napa Valley Grapegrowers. “Wineries and growers connect visitors directly with the land, the vineyards and the people who farm them, often through vineyard walks and guest experiences that highlight the sustainable farming practices that make Napa [Valley] a leader in agriculture and environmental stewardship. Nearly 95% of our wineries and vineyards are family-owned, meaning every visit tells a generational story rooted in care for the land and community.”
“We like people to touch the soil, to get them into the vineyard,” Westom agreed.
Activities range from wine tastings and vineyard tours to active projects like wine blending and cooking classes.
“At Valette Hospitality, we’re offering cooking classes that give groups a real hands-on connection to what makes this place special,” Vallette said. “We’re also creating ‘intentional’ food and wine pairing culinary menus that go beyond the typical tasting format.”
Napa Valley’s B Cellars, a boutique seller that produces 10,000 cases a year, sells directly to the consumer and can do tastings for up to 100. They, too, like to focus on wine and food pairings.
“We show them the barrels, then talk about aging wines and where we get our wines, because we source from about 40 different vineyards,” said Curtis Strohl, general manager of B Cellars. “If you come for an event, one of our salespeople is pouring the wine. So, if you ask a question about the wine, it’s someone who knows.”
And then there’s access to exclusive vintages.
“We have what we call winery-exclusive wines that are only available for wine club members or for those who have come to the property,” Strohl said. “These are wines made from specific vineyards in different parts of the Dry Creek Valley, generally, a component of one of our nationally distributed wines.”
Tips for Adding Value
Tip #1: Talk to the CVBs.
“We offer a master account incentive, depending on the time of year and the size of the group, where it’s cashed to the group directly to offset some of the costs at the property, which has been a significant source for our partners to use to offset some of those costs,” said Jonny Westom, vice president, business development with Sonoma County Tourism.
Tip #2: Get the Michelin dining experience by entering through the hotel lobby.
“We approach our private dining functions in the same manner as our fine-dining Michelin star restaurant,” said Nicho Jarman, senior manager, group sales, at Auberge du Soleil. “Each event is executed with attention to detail—that means checking with each individual guest regarding their dietary restrictions, allergies and preferences at the start of the meal and ensuring each course is delivered with restaurant-style finesse.”
Tip #3: Share your demographic—it could be an opportunity.
“With sales being one of the problems that the industry is faced with, we’re looking to influence the next generation,” said Kim Stare Wallace, president of Dry Creek Vineyard. “We’re very active on social media. We have about 16,000 people following us on Instagram. Our tasting room fees are so reasonable, and I think ours was the last winery in Dry Creek Valley to start charging tasting fees. I’ve heard some tasting fees being $90; that’s not going to attract the next generation of drinkers.”
Tip #4: Listen to the F&B professionals. They know what works.
“Without question, pasta is the hardest dish to execute to the standard we hold at our restaurants,” said Dustin Valette, proprietor of Valette, Valette Wines & The Matheson. “We work closely with meeting planners to structure service in a way that allows us to execute pasta dishes in manageable batches, ensuring every guest gets the same beautiful experience. When pasta is done right at a banquet, when it comes to the table perfectly al dente with a sauce that coats each strand just so, it elevates the entire meal. When it sits too long or gets overcooked trying to serve a large group, everyone notices.”
