Registration is OPEN!
2026 SONOMA & NAPA EPICUREAN EXCURSION
OUR FIRST EPICUREAN EXCURSION
2026 will mark our 5th annual trip to a top wine-producing region around the world. Our first four Wine Country Experiences produced so many wonderful memories. These trips placed a special emphasis on tasting and vineyard tours at top wineries, providing access to the finest wineries and winemakers and offering experiences you would not normally be offered.
For our 5th annual trip, this Epicurean Excursion will continue to deliver the same top-tier wine experiences, now with an exciting mix of unique food, farm and garden tours, classes, and tastings. This trip will take us behind the scenes of Sonoma's and Napa's premier wineries, restaurants, and food artisans. While we are there, we will also take advantage of some of the beautiful cultural and lifestyle venues and amenities. Sonoma & Napa are the ideal regions to embark on our Epicurean Excursion as is will be a deep dive for the enthusiast and connoisseur of great wine, food, arts, and elevated lifestyle moments.
Don't miss this memorable wine and food experience in the Summer of 2026!
What to expect from our 2026 trip…
In addition to being a preeminent producer of some of the finest wines in the world, Sonoma & Napa are home to an amazing culinary and cultural landscape, resulting in memorable epicurean experiences. From world-class botanical gardens to the finest local farmstead cheeses, olive oils, culinary instruction, and top chef-driven restaurants, we will celebrate and experience the wonderful, handcrafted wines and foods produced by small, quality-obsessed family producers.
a 6-day trip from August 17-23, 2026 (Sunday, August 23 is a travel day)
in addition to world-class wine experiences, we have greatly increased the number of dynamic food and local cultural experiences
food and wine pairing events
cooking demonstrations led by top chefs
an opportunity to explore the local area
a shorter, more relaxed experience than past trips
a stay at Montage - Healdsburg (luxury resort & spa) for the whole trip
Our past Wine Country Experiences by the numbers…
We cannot wait for YOU to join this growing community of wine enthusiasts this Summer!
2026 Trip Events & Hotel
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES
Hands-on, participatory events where you actively create, experiment, and engage directly in the craft behind the experience.
-
Upon arrival, we will roll up our sleeves, put on a hairnet, and get our hands wet with curds and whey! We will learn how to use the equipment and see the cheese aging room before being treated to a full ranch tour that includes everything from the Milking Parlor to the Loafing Barn. Naturally, there will be plenty of cheese tasting.
-
At Aperture Cellars, we will enjoy a Chenin Blanc reception, then dive in with a hands-on wine blending workshop. Their winemaking team will teach us about the process and art of blending wine, give us a demonstration, then we will have the opportunity to blend our own wine! We will taste our custom-created blends, and then conclude this event with a tasting of Aperture’s current releases.
-
This event’s focus is getting to know different farming and viticulture techniques, and learning how they directly translate into the wine’s finished product! We will start off this event with a glass of wine on the patio overlooking the vineyard, then we will walk to the vineyards to see the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blocks, then take a look at the Merlot “Aux Raynauds” vineyard, and finally head up to the Colonel’s Vineyard. Throughout our walk, owner and winemaker, David Jeffrey, we will discuss management of the vineyard, including the pruning which occurred at the beginning of the year, the shoot thinning, suckering, and wire positioning, as well as the state of the grapes as they approach harvest time. We will end up on the covered patio for a tasting of the wines from the vineyards, which we will have just examined.
-
This year, we're jumping right in! We will begin our day at CIA at Copia with a tour of the campus garden, followed by an introduction of our "classroom" and our Chef Instructor. Our CIA Chef Instructor will lead us through a two-hour, private, hands-on Spanish cooking class, collaborating to prepare an exceptional meal. This experience concludes with enjoying the dishes we have crafted, with thoughtfully paired wines.
-
This event begins with a private visit to Nuns Canyon Vineyard, personally hosted by wine grower, John Hamel. This vineyard is one of the great volcanic sites of the country, with basalt volcanic soil. We will visit soil pits and to see what volcanic soil looks like underground, and then taste wines that are grown in those soil pit sites to see how the terroir translates to the wines. After this, you will taste their current-release biodynamic wines, offering a deep expression of the estate and its terroir. This experience concludes with a family-style lunch prepared by their chef, Thomas Mendel, named 2024 Best Young Chef of the World.
-
We will begin at Little Saint with a zero-waste mixology workshop, led by one of their talented mixologists, where we’ll craft two distinctive drinks, low-ABV and spirited, using harvested garnishes from Little Saint farm alongside supporting local Sonoma County distillers. We will learn the art of balance, garnish, and technique, and discover how sustainability and creativity intertwine to redefine modern cocktail making. Then we will enjoy a family-style dinner in this vibrant and charming restaurant paired with your choice of signature cocktails or wines. Little Saint specializes in hyper-local, plant-based food with a lot of character.
-
Our trip to ACTA will be a casual and fun event, with some exciting education built in. We will take a walk through their vineyard to see and learn about their 100 year old Zinfandel wines (some of the oldest in Sonoma), then enjoy a lovely evening outdoors with bocce ball, wood-fired pizza, and a wine tasting outside hosted by their winemaker, Dustin Moilenen.
-
Here, we will be greeted with a Rosé reception, followed by a tour of their vineyard and grounds. Then, we will enjoy their Rooted experience, which they describe as an “immersive wine and culinary experience that invites you to explore the art of pairing through a curated menu. Each course highlights seasonal ingredients paired with six wines that enhance the flavors.”
-
"The Charter Oak is a restaurant in the heart of the Napa Valley, by Chef Christopher Kostow of the Michelin three-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood. The Charter Oak is centered on a celebratory, family-style dining experience, with simple, approachable, and seasonal food –grilled meats, beautiful vegetables from our farm, and local wines. Our menu reflects the products of the Napa Valley through an elemental cooking style, with a hearth at its center, and by highlighting one or two ingredients at a time."
-
This winemaker dinner will be the perfect send-off for our Epicurean Excursion. We'll be dining at the famous Dry Creek Kitchen by Charlie Palmer. "Legendary Chef Charlie Palmer seamlessly blends his Progressive American style with the rich bounty of Sonoma County. Here you’ll discover the freshest, hyper-seasonal ingredients that are grown and raised by farms up the road." To make this night even better, we will be joined by Bob Cabral, the widely-celebrated winemaker, who will lead our dinner with curated pairings from his personal wine label, Bob Cabral Wines. Bob is a 4th-generation farmer and grape grower, and is widely considered one of the greatest California winemakers of the last 50 years. He is the first winemaker to receive a 100 point score for a North American Pinot Noir.
-
This event is our traditional opening night reception and dinner. At the beautiful Hazel Hill restaurant at our hotel, we will open our reception with Champagne and gradually make our way into our sunset dinner on the patio overlooking one of their vineyards on the property. This will be an incredible opportunity for connection and community, and the perfect way to kick off a memorable week!
-
This event will be one of several winery events, but it will be the only winery that is also well-known for its Estate Olive Oils! This event begins with a tour of the Estate, production facilities, and vineyards, ending in their culinary garden. There, we will enjoy their Olive Oil Experience and a Garden Lunch with a chef-curated menu, paired with Round Pond wines.
-
We’re delighted to welcome you to Sonoma Botanical Garden for a guided walking tour through our 67-acre living museum of Asian and California native plants—a serene woodland landscape where East meets West. Led by our knowledgeable Garden Guides, the tour highlights rare and seasonal plants while sharing engaging stories about plant species, conservation, and the Garden’s design. This immersive stroll blends learning with sensory discovery, offering moments to enjoy tranquil ponds, peaceful woodlands, and sweeping views of Sonoma Valley.
CURATED EXPERIENCES
Thoughtfully guided tastings, dinners, and tours designed for you to enjoy through observation, conversation, and sensory exploration.
Our Hotel for this Trip - Montage Healdsburg
Surrounded by rolling vineyards and heritage oak trees, Montage Healdsburg offers an unforgettable escape where guests can immerse themselves in the beauty and flavor of Sonoma wine country through farm-to-table dining and exclusive experiences. Relax into the moment on the Olive Terrace, where alfresco dining comes with sweeping vineyard and mountain views. Gather around one of the resort’s outdoor fireplaces for a moment of reflection or inspiration beneath the open sky.
Wellness takes center stage with Spa Montage, yoga classes, serene outdoor pools, and nature-immersive design offering a restorative balance throughout your stay. Venture onto scenic biking and hiking trails or explore Healdsburg’s charming downtown for boutique shopping and local tasting rooms.
We are excited about many aspects of the trip this year, but we are especially pleased to be able to call Montage our "home" for the entirety of this trip. We will be able to settle in at this beautiful hotel and make the most of our time in Healdsburg. We are thrilled to be able to provide this hotel experience for you all; it's going to be very special and make this year's trip really stand out.
Trip Pricing & Details
registration is now open
DOUBLE OCCUPANT
$9,450 per person
for the wine enthusiast traveling with a companion, requiring a room for two at our hotel
2 NEW payment plans available
-
Secure your spot on this trip today with your first $3,150 payment (trip deposit)
The balance is billed monthly - 2 additional payments of $3,150
-
Secure your spot on this trip today with your first $1,575 payment (trip deposit)
The balance is billed monthly - 5 additional payments of $1,575
SINGLE OCCUPANT
$10,950 per person
for the wine enthusiast traveling solo, who requires a private room at our hotel
2 NEW payment plans available
-
Secure your spot on this trip today with your first $3,650 payment (trip deposit)
The balance is billed monthly - 2 additional payments of $3,650
-
Secure your spot on this trip today with your first $1,825 payment (trip deposit)
The balance is billed monthly - 5 additional payments of $1,825
this trip includes:
6 nights at Montage - Healdsburg hotel
6 Immersive Experiences (hands-on, participatory events where you actively create, experiment, and engage directly in the craft behind the experience)
these events include 3 lunches and 1 dinner
7 Curated Experiences (thoughtfully guided tastings, dinners, and tours designed for you to enjoy through observation, conversation, and sensory exploration)
these events include 2 lunches and 4 dinners
40% off code for VinGardeValise Wine Suitcases
Luxury Coach service for the entire trip
The Educated Grape Wine Country Experience Director, George Staikos, leading the group for the entire trip
Welcome gift package with exclusive TEG Wine Country Experience merchandise
All activities specified in the program
not included in this rate:
Air transport and related costs
Transport to or from airports
All personal expenses not mentioned in the itinerary, including incidentals in the hotels
Breakfast
Early hotel check-in
Travel/Trip Insurance
Medical Insurance
CLICK HERE to read full rate details and payment conditions
YOU can win an 8-Bottle VinGardeValise Wine Suitcase -a $340 value!
When you are one of the first 10 people* to register for our 2026 Sonoma & Napa Epicurean Excursion with their deposit on March 5, you will be entered into a drawing to win an 8-Bottle VinGardeValise Wine Suitcase! We have this exact suitcase, and it has been a game-changer for traveling with wine in tow. Other than making travel with wine less worrisome and more efficient, these are some of the reasons why we picked a wine suitcase from VinGardeValise:
The original and #1 wine luggage since 2014
Designed to safely and securely transport wine
Wine flies free on Southwest and Alaska Airlines with our suitcase
Foam inserts are removable: use it with or without wine
Durable, easy to maneuver, and backed by a 10-year warranty
Even if you aren't the winner of this wine suitcase, EVERYONE on the trip will receive a The Educated Grape exclusive code to get 40% off a wine suitcase from VinGardeValise!
* The first 10 registrants will be entered into the drawing. If you are making deposits for more than one person for this trip, each registrant you are making a deposit for will be entered into the drawing.
* This drawing will be solidified when 10 people have registered for this trip with their deposit. If there are less than 10 registrants, The Educated Grape reserves the right to cancel the drawing.
Our Wine Country Experiences through the years
2026 marks our 5th year of Wine Country Experience trips, and each year's destination has had its own significance and purpose, and this year is no different.
2022 Napa & Sonoma - Many people's first big trip post-pandemic, and we were excited to go all out and experience the top-name wineries in Napa & Sonoma. We came out with a bang in this first trip, and the biggest takeaway was the sense of community we had built. Many of us met for the first time on this trip, after a year of solely virtual wine classes. The memories made on this trip set the stage for each Wine Country Experience moving forward.
2023 Willamette Valley & Walla Walla - After seeing the profoundly well-known Napa and Sonoma Valleys, we were eager to introduce these regions. They are both well-renowned regions in their own right, but can get overlooked when you have Northern California right next door. In this trip, many of our attendees called these regions a revelation, and were shocked to discover how good Pinot Noir was from Willamette and Walla Walla.
2024 Santa Barbara & Paso Robles - A return to California, but this time we went South! This was another exploration to highlight two of the most diverse and emerging regions in the Northern Hemisphere with contrasting terroir. We experienced the cooler climate, ocean-influenced Chardonnay and Pinot in Santa Rita Hills, and then explored the contrasting Bordeaux and Rhone varieties in the warmer climate of Paso Robles. The wineries we visited and the winemakers we spoke with are the pioneers of this region, and we were privileged to get to explore these regions in their youth.
2025 Northern Italy - Our first international trip! This has been a dream since the beginning, and Northern Italy was the perfect place to host our first European trip. It's the region we are most passionate about in Italy, and it was important to us to share that with our community. The theme of this trip was diversity- white wines, red wines, sparkling wines, varying climates and terroir, and our first immersive and food-centered events! We got to experience the pinnacle of wine in Italy with our days in Barolo and Barbaresco, visiting some of the finest producers. The hospitality and intimacy of the events we experienced were unmatched, and are an example we hope to set moving forward.
Lasting impressions of past Wine Country Experiences
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Registration opens Thursday, March 5 at 4:00pm
You will secure your spot on March 5 by paying the $3,750 deposit via online payment on our website. The remaining balance will be due in the two months after the deposit is paid. The balance may be paid by check or online. Failure to pay the balance payments when they are due will result in a loss of your reserved place on our trip, and loss of your initial deposit.
-
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
$2,850 payment per person - due April 5
$2,850 payment per person - due May 5
SINGLE OCCUPANCY
$3,650 payment per person - due April 5
$3,650 payment per person - due May 5
*This will be your payment schedule if you register on March 5. If you register on a later date, your payment schedule will shift to be payments to be 1 month after registration and 2 months after registration, respectively.
For more details about the trip rates and conditions, CLICK HERE
-
For this trip, we will be based out of Healdsburg, CA. If you are flying, it will be most efficient to fly in and out of San Francisco or Oakland. From there, you will drive to the hotel, after which transportation is provided for the duration of the trip. As we get closer to the trip, we will be more than happy to help attendees coordinate carpools to and from the hotel or airport.
-
Our program begins promptly at 6:00pm on Monday at the Hazel Hill restaurant in our hotel, Montage (in Healdsburg, CA).
-
Absolutely! You will be able to let us know after registration that you and your companion want a room with two beds to accommodate each of you comfortably.
-
Sonoma and Napa are mainly Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir.
-
Yes! Here is the breakdown of the free time built into this trip:
Tuesday, August 18 - 2.5 hours at the hotel in the afternoon (perfect for enjoying the hotel pool, booking a spa treatment, or walking the grounds)
Wednesday, August 19 - 4 hours between lunch and dinner in downtown Napa (perfect for shopping or booking winery tours)
Thursday, August 20 - free afternoon and evening after lunch (perfect for booking spa treatments at the hotel or enjoying other hotel amenities, booking winery tours, going out to dinner, or exploring local sights)
Saturday, August 22 - free morning at the hotel (perfect for enjoying a leisurely breakfast, or exploring the hotel grounds)
There are other 1-2 hour pockets of time at the hotel between lunch and dinner, but the times above are the longest blocks of time, and what we are designating as this trip’s “free time.”
-
Absolutely! You may stay at Montage as long as you like before or after our trip, in accordance with the hotel’s availability. Montage has extended a special rate to attendees of this trip for the nights before and after our trip for anyone who wishes to arrive early or leave later.
-
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Director of Marketing, Angelica (blickenderfera@gmail.com). She will be able to assist you with anything you need!Item description
-
The Sonoma & Napa Epicurean Excursion is 6 days of events. It begins Monday, August 17 with dinner, and our last full day of events is Saturday, August 22. The last night in our hotel will be August 22, and Sunday, August 23, everyone will check out.
Subscribe
Are you on our Wine Country Experience email list? Join our list today and be the first to get updates on our trips!