What to bring tasting

• Water Bottle: drinking all that wine is thirsty work! 

• Fully-charged Phone: I’ve stopped making notes on tasting sheets and gone completely digital. Ideally, I’ll take a photo of the bottle and then pop it into my Notes app to jot down details. This way—if I buy a bottle—I can pop my tasting notes right into the “Cellar” spreadsheet when I get home. A pen is still good for joining the mailing list ;)

• Gum: all that red wine will stain your teeth. Bring a few pieces to chew in between tastings

• Lipsmacker/Eye Drops: We San Franciscans are always shocked by how dry the climate is in wine country.

• Hat/sunscreen/Sunglasses: That marine layer will burn off quickly and a tasting on the patio or walk through the vineyards isn’t guaranteed to have shade.

• Sweater: It may be 90º outside but the caves and fermentation areas are often kept much colder.

Tip: If you’re planning on buying wine and taking it home with you on a warmer day, bring a cooler and ice packs to keep your bottles from spoiling in the heat. (Place this in the backseat where it can benefit from air conditioning as well!)