Imagine the opportunity to sit alongside a Napa Valley winemaker, vintner, and chef whom all rely on local ingredients to really understand the thoughtful connection between wine and food. This is what guests can expect at these small, intimate Winery Lunches at Somerston Estate that are hosted once a month through October. During the experience, guests will be served a selection of Somerston’s limited production library wines, large formats, and current releases only available at the winery.
“When you attend a Somerston Estate Winery Lunch, you get unprecedented access to our considerable estate, conversations with the directors of our vineyards and wines, and a super delicious lunch from our ridiculously talented executive chef! I don’t know about you, but that ticks all my boxes for a perfect afternoon.” shared Somerston Estate DTC Manager, Annamarie Ciotta.
Ciotta hosts these lunches; an intimate and exclusive opportunity to delve into the details of Somerston’s limited production estate wines and the behind-the-scenes of the winery’s operations. Each lunch will be co-hosted by either Winemaker Cody Hurd, Director of Viticulture and Winemaking, Craig Becker, or Director of Vineyard Operations, Jake Knobloch.
“Guests will not only get insight into what makes Somerston so unique, they will also have the opportunity to enjoy the wines paired with an exquisite seasonal food selection prepared by Executive Chef Dan Solomon,” emphasized Ciotta. “Dan introduces each course and elaborates on why he chose each pairing.”
Somerston Estate debuted this experiential lunch series last summer. Guests are greeted with wine and a selection of canapes that emphasize the uniqueness of the estate before hopping on the estate’s all-terrain vehicles for a guided tour of the winery’s 1,682 acres. As a working farm, participants are immersed in the current happenings each month, which could include focusing on the progression of the clusters between fruit set and veraison in July, witnessing equipment sterilization in August, harvest in September, or the moving from vine to tank in October as Somerston prepares their 2024 vintage.
“The most important thing we can do as stewards of the land is share what we know with our guests and foster relationships that go beyond the typical sales experience. We want our guests to leave as friends and family and with a deeper understanding of the wines and estate, from ground to glass,” shared Ciotta.
Guests then return to the table for a three-course meal with a seasonally-inspired salad course often paired with a library selection. Next up, Chef Dan is renowned for his love of unique pairings, so expect the unexpected for the complementary dish served with the current release vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Finally, a sweet treat is paired with an aged port for a memorable conclusion to a leisurely lunch, as the team encourages guests to linger and mingle with newfound friends.
“Showing how our wines can be enjoyed in everyday life through food and experiences makes every guest who enters our red gates a part of the future of not only Somerston Estate but ambassadors for the Napa Valley as a whole,” added Ciotta.
