From wine tastings and festivals to game nights, film screenings and delectable dinners, here’s a sampling of local beer and wine events to check out in the coming months.
Paint Party at Strike Brewing: 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, 2099 S.10th St., San Jose. Get ready to create your own artistic masterpiece at Strike Brewing. Unleash your inner artist while enjoying delicious craft beers. A painting instructor will be on-site, so no experience is necessary. $35 to $60. bit.ly/StrikePaintParty
Wine Crawl & Comedy Show: 12:15 to 3:15 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, Rebel Vintners, 1201 First St., Napa. Head to Downtown Napa for a one-of-a-kind immersive wine and comedy experience. Guests will visit local tasting rooms, while accompanied and entertained by nationally touring comedians. $48. bit.ly/WineCrawlComedy
Dungeons & Drake’s: 6 to 9 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays, Drake’s Brewing Company, 1933 Davis St., San Leandro. Head for Drake’s Barrel House to take up thy dice while sipping from the goblets of the gods. Whether thou art seasoned or unfamiliar with the ways of Dragons and Dungeons, all are welcome to partake in this epic tradition. Free admission. bit.ly/DungeonsDrakes
Futures Barrel Tasting: March 1-3 and 9-10, Amphora Winery, 4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. This educational wine experience includes tastings through Amphora’s eclectic lineup of red wines from the 2022 and 2023 vintages, led by owner and winemaker Rick Hutchinson. bit.ly/FuturesTasting
Cheese & Wine Pairing Course: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 2, Bennett Lane Winery, 3340 Highway 128, Calistoga. Join Bennett Lane winemaker and William Cofield Cheese founder Rob Hunter for a wine and cheese pairing course. Take in Rob’s unique insight while enjoying a curated selection of cheeses paired with Bennett Lane Wines. $40. bit.ly/WineCheesePair
Taste, Bottle & Buy: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 2, J. Rickards Winery, 24505 Chianti Road, Geyserville. J. Rickards is combining two popular events into one fantastic day. Taste new releases from J. Rickards Winery and Mercury Wine, then have your selections bottled on-site in festive wine jugs. $20. bit.ly/TasteBottleBuy
Brews & Views: 6 to 8 p.m. March 7, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, 390 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay. Sip Half Moon Bay brews while engaging in a discussion about the future of work and workers in the age of AI. Free admission. hmbbrewingco.com/events-calendar/ai-age
Sip, Swirl, Savor: 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 8, McGrail Vineyards, 5600 Greenville Road, Livermore. Have you ever been puzzled by others identifying violets and leather in wine? Join McGrail Vineyards’ staff for an educational and delicious event demystifying the secrets of professional wine tasting. Learn how to sip like a pro with expert guidance and a curated selection of six McGrail wines. $45. mcgrailvineyards.com/events-current/
Spring Yoga, Hiking, and Wine Tasting Retreat: March 8-10 and 22-24, Sonoma. Celebrate the Spring Equinox with a healthy weekend retreat in Sonoma wine country. Enjoy daily yoga, guided meditations, hiking and organic wine tasting. $945. bit.ly/BodyFlowsRetreat
Discretion Brewing Anniversary Party: 12 to 9 p.m. March 9, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave., Soquel. Celebrate 11 years of Discretion with games, live music, brews on tap and a double can release in Discretion Brewing’s expanded, dog-friendly beer garden. Free admission. bit.ly/DiscretionAnniversary
‘Eden’ Cinequest Film Screening: 4:30 p.m. March 9, California Theatre, 345 S First St, San Jose. See the debut of Los Gatos filmmaker Chris McGilvray’s “Eden,” a documentary about a family that operates one of California’s most historic wineries, struggling with succession in a hauntingly beautiful meditation on balancing personal and professional identities. $14. bit.ly/EdenScreening
Spring Winemaker Dinner: 6 to 9 p.m. March 9, Elizabeth Spencer, 1165 Rutherford Road, Napa. Enjoy a spectacular celebration of flavors and craftsmanship with crafted pairings of wine and gourmet cuisine. $235. bit.ly/SpencerSpring
Expedition Stags Leap – Winery Tour & Lunch: 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. March 9, Pine Ridge Vineyards, 5901 Silverado Trail, Napa. Explore the distinct terroir of Stags Leap District single vineyard wines during this vineyard walk and wine tasting. $250. bit.ly/ExpeditionStags
Fork2Film Festival: March 14-17, Cameo Cinema, 1340 Main St., St. Helena. This festival brings together audiences, filmmakers, chefs and winemakers for epicurean screenings, food and wine experiences and filmmaker Q&As. $20-$25 per event. cameocinema.com/
Pigs & Pinot: March 15-16, Hotel Healdsburg, 25 Matheson St., Healdsburg. This celebratory weekend offers a series of intimate dining and educational events hosted by chef Charlie Palmer, with a cast of sommeliers, winemakers and celebrity chefs showcasing some of the world’s greatest pinot noirs with perfect pork pairings. $275. pigsandpinot.com/
WINeFare: March 16-17, Haight Street Art Center, 215 Haight St., San Francisco. This wine tasting features pours from 75 women-run wineries and importers from California, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, France, Italy, Mexico and Spain. $50 to $140. thethirdplace.is/event/winefare-2024
Appellation St. Helena bASH: 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 23, CIA at Greystone, 2555 Main St., St. Helena. The 13th annual wine and food pairing competition pairs wines from 20 ASH member wineries with savory bites prepared by professional chefs and teams of rising star students at the CIA. $200. bit.ly/bASH2024
San Mateo Wine Festival: March 23-24, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo. Come out to the grand San Mateo Event Center to raise a glass and enjoy a weekend of wine, spirits, casual bites, shopping and live music. $79-$99. bit.ly/SanMateoWineFest
West Coast Taco & Beer Festival: March 23-24, History San Jose, 1650 Senter Road, San Jose. Eat. Sip. Repeat! This event features unlimited taco and beer tastings from dozens of restaurants and breweries, plus live music, boutique vendors, games and entertainment. $49 to $109. bluestreament.ticketspice.com/wctbfbayarea
Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains: 1 to 4 p.m. March 24, Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Road, Saratoga. Dive deep into the wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains at the 2024 Grand Tasting. Explore the stunning grounds and breathtaking views of The Mountain Winery while you sip award-winning wines, show off your skills in a lively lawn game and bid on exciting silent auction items. $25 to $79. bit.ly/MountainWines
Amaro – Bitter and Refined: 7 to 9 p.m. March 25, The Alembic, 1725 Haight St., San Francisco. Join Alembic mixologists for an adventure through Italy celebrating Amaro, one of the country’s most popular spirits. This two-hour class will turn everyone, from bar beginner to cocktail connoisseur, into the ultimate host. $110. bit.ly/AmaroAlembic
Women in Wine Dinner: 6 p.m. March 29, Carneros Resort and Spa, 4048 Sonoma Highway, Napa. Celebrate National Women in Wine Day with a dinner and wine pairing highlighting four notable women who continue to shape Napa Valley’s wine industry. $160. bit.ly/WomenWineDinner
Pebble Beach Food & Wine: April 4-7, Pebble Beach Resorts. Over the course of four days, 125 chefs and 150 winemakers will gather for this premier food and wine destination event. $475 to $850. pebblebeachfoodandwine.com/
Pinot & Puzzle Competition: 4:30 to 6 p.m. April 7, WALT Wines, First Street West, Sonoma. Get ready to challenge your puzzle-solving skills while sipping delicious pinot wines and vying for the prize in a thrillingly thirsty competition. $70. bit.ly/PinotPuzzle
Intro to American Whiskey: 12 to 2 p.m. April 13, Elixir, 3200 16th St., San Francisco. Bourbon, rye, single malt, blended — what’s the difference? How does American whiskey differ from other whiskies? And what’s the difference between “whiskey” and “whisky”? Learn it all in a fun and interactive format from the experts at Elixir. $75. bit.ly/WhiskeyELIXIR
Bay Area Craft Beer Festival: 12 to 4 p.m. April 13, Waterfront Park, 245 North Court St., Martinez. Gear up for the ultimate beer lover’s paradise. This year’s festival promises an unrivaled experience with over 40+ local breweries and an impressive selection of over 100 beers to sample, including some fantastic Home Brews. $60. bit.ly/BayCraftBeerFest
Mad Tea Party: 6 to 10 p.m. April 13, Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave., Oakland. Fairyland invites adults for an Alice in Wonderland immersive experience filled with fantasy, dance, games, live entertainment and special libations including the March Hare’s Madness cocktail. $35. fairyland.org/events-and-performances/mad-tea/
Bay Area Brew Fest: 12 to 10 p.m. April 20, Presidio Main Lawn, San Francisco. The Bay Area Brew Festival returns with an extravaganza featuring more than 60 breweries, food trucks, DJs and more. Admission includes unlimited beer samplings, with VIP attendees getting an extra hour with limited release beers. $50-$90. bayareabrewfestival.com/
Taste of Yountville: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 21, Chandon, 1 California Drive, Yountville. Enjoy an intimate food and wine tasting experience in the heart of Napa Valley. Taste of Yountville will feature 14 tasting rooms and wineries and delicious farm-to-table bites by the Chandon culinary team in a beautiful outdoor garden seating. $150 to $225. yountville.com/tasteofyountville/
CBCA Clayton Art & Wine Festival: April 27-28, Main Street, Downtown Clayton. Browse arts and crafts stalls, sip wine or beer and sample the fare in the food court. There’s a play zone for kids and live music and entertainment throughout the weekend. Free admission. bit.ly/CBCAartwine
CabFranc-A-Palooza: May 3-5, Livermore venues. Cabernet franc lovers and wine producers are descending upon Livermore Valley for the second annual CabFranc-A-Palooza featuring more than 50 wineries, special events and tastings. $99 to $125. cabfrancapalooza.com/
SF Beer Fest: 12 to 10 p.m. May 11, 2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco. Head for Fort Mason to try the best beer in town, all under the same roof. Enjoy a vast selection of specially curated beers set to an absolutely jamming soundtrack. $45-$65. bit.ly/SFBeerFest2024
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival: May 17-19, Anderson Valley venues. This region of Mendocino County is known for its pinot noir, which will be celebrated during this three-day festival featuring delicious samplings and food pairings, educational seminars, a sunset barbecue, a grand tasting and a VIP Bubble Lounge. $75-$500. bit.ly/AVPNF2024
Sun, Wind & Wine Festival: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 18, 1290 River Road, Salinas. The 16th annual fest includes a strolling wine tasting through the barrel cellar of Mer Soleil Winery, which is not normally open to the public. Festival guests will enjoy limited-release Santa Lucia Highlands wines poured by the vintners themselves, plus live music and gourmet bites. $149 to $199. santaluciahighlands.com/events/wine-festival/
Pleasant Hill Art, Wine & Music Festival: May 18-19, Downtown Pleasant Hill. This annual festival offers a diverse array of local food, wine, beer and arts and crafts vendors, plus tons of kids events and live entertainment. Free admission. pleasanthillchamber.com/art-wine-music/
Have a wine, beer or spirits event to add? Submit it online at forms.gle/Cu9J6Ks2fQiQUcKk8.
