Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle
Priced out. Astronomical tasting fees. Rip-off.
These were some of the sentiments shared by Bay Area residents after The Chronicle reported last week that it has been an unusually slow summer in Wine Country. Would-be Wine Country travelers took to social media — and emails and comments to The Chronicle — over their frustrations and hesitation to visit the Bay Area’s most popular wine destinations: Napa and Sonoma.
Many reminisced about “the good old days” when tastings were free or $20 and suggested alternative wine regions that are more affordable, such as Livermore and Amador County.
Wineries have reported raising tasting fees to offset higher costs of labor and production due to the pandemic, supply-chain issues and inflation. A new report released this week from winery analysis company Community Benchmark revealed additional data that visitation has dropped across 400 West Coast wineries in May, June and July compared to 2021 and 2019.
The resurgence of international travel, plus inflation and rising gas and airfare costs are all factors that could have impacted tourism this summer. But tasting fee increases and the recent switch to a reservation-only model seem to be among the biggest deterrents in future Wine Country trips for Bay Area residents.
Cody Guerrero, a San Jose resident who has been visiting Wine Country for more than a decade, said he experienced sticker shock when planning an upcoming day trip to Sonoma and Napa with friends.
“I remember going up there and there would be some $50 tastings, but those were your high-end places. Now everything seems to be a minimum $40,” he said, adding that he’s also noticed wineries are now less likely to discount or waive tasting fees with wine purchases.
The prices have changed the way Guerrero plans a Wine Country visit. “It’s always fun to try something you’ve never heard of or check out something different,” he said. “I used to try to throw a few of those on my itinerary.”
Now, he feels forced to take a more “conservative and deliberate” approach, only visiting wineries that come highly recommended. “The value proposition I feel has been skewed,” he said. “It makes me less courageous.”
When the pandemic hit, wineries had to switch over to reservations in order to stay open and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Few have reverted back, and it’s become a sticking point for some visitors, especially day-trippers.
“I’m not a particularly good planner,” said Craig MacLellan of San Francisco. “Sometimes having all the info at your fingertips can be more exhausting than just jumping in the car. I like more spontaneity.”
San Jose resident Mark Gallagher said he misses the pre-pandemic walk-in culture, and that the reservation system is “killing the experience.” On several occasions this summer, he attempted to walk into wineries that required appointments and was ultimately let in because they were empty.
“We listened to (staff) squawk and complain and carry on about how they’ve been ghosted by a number of appointments,” he said, “and we were standing right there, bird in hand.”
Most wineries have continued with by-appointment tastings because the system works, plus they’re easier to staff during the ongoing labor shortage. Many customers even prefer the extended seated experience that comes with one-on-one attention and other extras, such as food pairings, Sonoma County Vintners executive director Michael Haney previously told The Chronicle. Wineries have found that this typically translates to larger wine purchases or more wine club sign-ups than at casual bar tastings.
But it also shrinks the pool of potential customers. Both MacLellan and Gallagher miss the days of bellying up to a bar and mingling with other wine lovers.
“You really lose the intimacy of talking to the people around you, their experiences and what they might suggest for places you could try,” said Gallagher. “Listening to others’ comments on what they’re tasting is fun. Wine is so subjective and maybe they see something different. That’s all lost.”
These changes are pushing some wine lovers to explore other Northern California destinations. Orinda resident Penny Rix stopped going to Napa years ago, referencing higher prices, crowds and a “snob factor.” Now she spends time in Livermore, Lodi (San Joaquin County) and El Dorado in the Sierra Foothills. “It’s just a much more down-home experience,” she said, “for regular people who like wine.”
Guerrero has found more affordable tastings closer to home in Santa Cruz and Gilroy. Gallagher now often drives to Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley to recapture the essence of Napa 20 or 30 years ago, he said.