While most types of wine country venues, whether they are wineries, restaurants or hotels, work well as settings for wine pairing dinners and similar events, there are differences to consider when selecting a site.
The biggest difference between types of venues is price, with wineries without on-site restaurants often costing considerably more than restaurants, according to David Rubens, president of Bay Magic Meetings and Tours, a DMC that specializes in wine country programs.
“At a winery without a restaurant, you end up paying a site fee as well as a catering fee, which can really add up,” he says. “At a restaurant, including an on-site restaurant at a winery, this is not the case.”
However, Rubens adds that it can be worthwhile to pay more to hold a dinner event at a winery, particularly at one that has an atmospheric wine cave or glorious vineyard setting.
“The atmosphere of the winery can make the event really spectacular,” he says. “The food might not necessarily be better than at a restaurant, but the setting could well be. It can really elevate the experience.”
For Rubens, the best of both worlds is to choose a winery that has an on-site restaurant. That way the catering and site fees can be avoided without sacrificing a vineyard setting.
Budget is not the only consideration, Ruben says. He also asks planners to consider such questions as location and the importance of the wine itself.
“You have to look at how important the quality of the wine is to your people,” he says. “If you are having the event at a winery, you have to use their wines. So even if you are getting a great setting and price, the event could suffer if the wines aren’t right.”
When wine quality is important—and when attendees want to sample a variety of local wines—holding a “Taste of Wine Country” event at a venue other than a winery may be the best choice, according to Rubens.
“This is a very popular format that can be done in a variety of venues,” he says. “We recently brought in reps from different wineries to an event venue in downtown San Francisco. Each one created a different course to go with their particular wine.”