California’s world-renowned Wine Country is known for producing premium, award-winning wines worth traveling for. Millions visit the destination every year for its top-tier tastings, which are popular among groups and pair well with Wine Country’s Michelin-starred dining. Many restaurant and winery menus feature farm-to-table fare, with seasonal ingredients often grown as near as the property’s garden itself.
All those vineyards, farmlands and rolling hills make Wine Country a sight for sore eyes, with a mild, Mediterranean climate for groups to sip under the Golden State sun.
Planners searching for gatherings that pair the many offerings of Wine Country together—award-winning wines, fine dining, scenic landscapes and sunshine—look no further than these dining experiences and wineries in Wine Country proper, Sonoma County and Napa Valley, as well as Monterey County and Temecula Valley, which also command respect on the worldwide wine stage.
Sonoma County
Sonoma County’s stretch of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Mayacamas Mountains is home to 19 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and more than 425 wineries, ranging from small, family-owned operations to internationally acclaimed wine houses. Here are two offering memorable meals for groups.
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Ram’s Gate Winery
Situated on a 28-acre estate where the San Francisco Bay meets the edge of Sonoma County, Ram’s Gate Winery was founded in 2011 and has long been recognized for its portfolio of wines, architectural beauty and hospitality programs.
The winery offers luxury vineyard dining experiences for groups, with picture-perfect long tables set beside Carneros vines and multicourse menus that feature ingredients from Sonoma County farms and purveyors. Private spaces include multiple outdoor terraces and lawn areas, and options for guided tastings or meet-the-maker components are available to add on before dinner.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Since the 1970s, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has focused on just three things, according to its website: “chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and hospitality.” Offering a chateau-like setting with European architecture and sweeping vineyard views, Jordan is ideal for sophisticated outdoor wine experiences paired with culinary garden-driven menus that feature estate-grown produce, olive oil and other ingredients.
The vineyard and winery has multiple outdoor venues for groups, including terrace, garden and lawn options for outdoor dining, food and wine pairings, guided tastings and sommelier or winemaker engagement.
Napa Valley
Another well-known Wine Country destination, Napa Valley has 16 AVAs, more than 400 wineries and 90 tasting rooms in the Northern California countryside. The area is also home to more than 150 restaurants, several with Michelin stars, and has many memorable group dining opportunities.
[Related: How Groups Can Pair Wine With Fine Dining in Napa Valley and Sonoma County]
CHANDON Togetherness Lunch
Established in 1973 as one of the first French-owned sparkling wine ventures in the U.S., this Napa Valley winery and estate aims to craft the perfect Wine Country experience for groups that blends wine and culinary creations with vineyard landscapes. Intimate groups from eight-10 can enjoy CHANDON’s two-hour Togetherness Lunch, “where garden meets glass.” This experience is inspired by the flavors of CHANDON communities around the world and paired with sparkling wines from the estate vineyards.
Silver Oak Chef’s Table
Silver Oak was established in 1972 and is known for its signature cabernet sauvignon aged exclusively in 100% American oak. The winery’s event offerings include everything from educational tasting to pairings from its culinary team, with seasonal menus featuring dishes that tell the Napa Valley story and ingredients harvested from the winery gardens and local farmers.
Monterey County
With 45,000 acres of premium vineyards and the unique climate created by Monterey Bay, which brings fog and moderate temperatures through the grape-growing season, Monterey County offers a distinctive taste of California’s prodigious wine destination options.
Carmel Valley Ranch
This ultra-luxe, 500-acre, all-suite resort functions as a working ranch with its own vineyards, onsite wine production, tasting experiences and cuisine centered around community. The resort’s award-winning culinary team takes a handcrafted, homegrown approach.
The resort’s 500 acres give groups plenty of space to play with, with outdoor spaces like the Harvest Landing, a terrace overlooking the vineyard and valley; and the Organic Garden, a two-acre outdoor space at the heart of the Carmel Valley Ranch experience.
Folktale Winery & Vineyards
Founded in 1982 as Chateau Julien Wine Estate, Folktale Winery & Vineyards started with the goal of bringing the wine experience in the Bordeaux region of France to California and is centered on pinot noir and chardonnay. The winery is committed to sustainable farming practices, with a five-acre vineyard that is 100% organically farmed by hand, while the food is created to complement and enhance Folktale’s wines with sustainable, ethically sourced and local ingredients.
[Related: See Monterey's Rob O'Keefe on Happenings in the Coastal California Destination]
Groups can experience Folktales wine, food and landscape via a dinner in the Rose Vineyard, surrounded by vines and the Santa Lucia Mountains. Tucked within the vineyard is the exclusive Vineyard House with a wraparound patio for upscale events.
Temecula Valley
An easy drive from most major metros in Southern California, Temecula Valley’s slice of the Golden State wine destination scene offers nearly 50 wineries as well as winery resorts and restaurants with SoCal-inspired cuisine and picturesque views.
Temecula Creek Inn
Offering 123 guest rooms and event space for groups of up to 400, this charming property is set on 300 acres in the Temecula Valley at the foothills of the Santa Margarita Mountains. The property’s onsite Corkfire Kitchen restaurant offers a fresh take on contemporary Californian farm-to-table dining and views overlooking the 27-hole championship golf course.
“At Temecula Creek Inn, outdoor dining for meetings works as a natural extension of the agenda,” said Ciarán Murray, director of marketing for Temecula Creek Inn. “Dining settings include the Stone House, a recognized historic site in the Temecula Valley originally used by quarry miners in the late 1800s and framed by some of the oldest oak trees on the property, estimated at 300 to 400 years old.
“The Meadows features two connected lawns anchored by a waterfall and surrounded by tall, mature trees,” Murray continued, “creating a private, nature-forward setting for larger outdoor meals and receptions.”
South Coast Winery Resort & Spa
Another total-package Temecula Valley escape, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa has 120-plus guest rooms and more than 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space with vineyard views. The Vineyard Rose Restaurant serves contemporary California cuisine with seasonal, locally grown ingredients and features a terrace surrounded by vines and a semi-private dining room.
