Wineries great for picnic lingering in Sonoma, Napa counties

Being able to visit a winery and take the time to slowly understand and enjoy its wines is a luxury we might sometimes take for granted. What helps create that sense of calm and non-urgency is the presence of food, good food. Food that will elevate the wines and feed the senses, in every aspect of the word.

More and more wineries are beginning to devote the time and resources to providing light to more complex fare to help guests better wile away their time in place, offering everything from gourmet popcorn to pair with chardonnay and picnic fare with pinot noir, to all-American burgers and fries with cabernet sauvignon. Here’s where to best enjoy.

Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery: This beautifully positioned hilltop spot, with expansive views of the Russian River Valley, offers a tantalizing tour, tasting and lunch, starting with a guided look around the winery and giving guests the opportunity to relax and take it all in. The tour is followed by a seated tasting of six estate wines, from chardonnay to pinot noir and zinfandel, followed by a box lunch artisan sandwich, fresh salad and dessert. Visitors should reserve at least 48 hours in advance for the experience, which takes place daily at noon, with seating limited to eight guests. $75/person.

10701 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-473-2909, concierge@garyfarrellwinery.com, garyfarrellwinery.com

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Lynmar Estate: Lynmar has always had a well-executed focus on food, but this time of year the winery offers a series of civilized Picnic Pairings conceived of by estate chef David Frakes. A sit-down, light set of three courses, it often begins with an inventive helping of gourmet organic popcorn, the seasonings for which change depending on what Frakes feels inspired by in the garden. It could be blood-orange zest and chervil with a coating of tangerine oil, or cocoa salt, shavings of unsweetened cocoa made into a powdery salt. Typically the popcorn will be paired with Lynmar Susanna’s Chardonnay, a refreshing yet complex take on the variety. From there the picnic pairing moves on to a salad and sandwich, such as smoked Applewood ham, grilled onions and Bellwether San Andreas cheese on a brioche roll, with a vegan aioli with huckleberry chutney and lavender. The winery’s pinot noirs star alongside. Equally inspired cookies, with inventive accents from the garden, tend to finish the meal alongside fresh bowls of estate berries. $55/person.

3909 Frei Road, Sebastopol, 707-829-3374, lynmarestate.com

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Merryvale Vineyards: Smack dab in the heart of St. Helena along Highway 29, Merryvale has always been well located, an ideal spot for enjoying its wide array of well-made wines, from sauvignon blanc to cabernet sauvignon. But now, there’s more. The classic winery is offering a unique Burger Butler Experience, the chance to enjoy its wines and have someone fetch some of the best burgers in town from across the street at Gott’s Roadside. The experience begins with bubbles, of course, before delving into the winery’s ins and outs and selections from the barrel. And then it’s the moment all have been waiting for, an outside picnic table in the shade set up for burgers, French fries or onion rings and two winery wines. $65/person. Reservations required with 24 hours advance notice.

1000 Main Street, St. Helena, 707-963-7777, merryvale.com

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Ram’s Gate: A hillside outpost in the heart of Carneros, Ram’s Gate makes a delicious slew of wines, from vineyard-designated pinot noir and chardonnay to several types of syrah. As for the food, there exist two options: a wine-paired picnic for two ($100, includes one bottle of wine; reservations required) that begins with a wine tasting meant to help decide which bottle of wine will go with lunch and continues with a personal valet to get you from the grand tasting room to the picturesque pond. The other option is the Palate Play ($90/person; reservations required) for two to six guests that centers on an in-depth, seated look at several single-vineyard wines and bites. Palate Play happens Thursday through Monday at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-721-8700, ramsgatewinery.com

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Rodney Strong Vineyards: The Healdsburg winery has recently unveiled the design-award-winning Tasting Terrace, a lovely outdoor outpost next to its winery with umbrella-covered tables and chairs and an expansive lawn, where it encourages visitors to enjoy leisurely picnics. For now, it offers the fixings inside the tasting room, with a local bent in terms of cheeses, breads and meats. To further the notion, it will soon have a chef of its own, who will prepare more inspired sandwiches, salads and such. Stay tuned.

11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-431-1533, rodneystrong.com

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St. Francis Winery: One of Sonoma County’s most dedicated foodie-obsessed wineries, St. Francis offers three seatings daily of its renowned Wine and Food Pairing experience, a chance to enjoy small plates with specifically chosen wines, all in view of the surrounding estate vineyards in the heart of Sonoma Valley. The four-course menu is decidedly gourmand, aiming high with such dishes as red wine braised duck made to go with Russian River Valley pinot noir, and coffee and cocoa-crusted New York strip loin with cabernet sauvignon. This is a serious endeavor that will be remembered for years to come. $60/person, with three seatings Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., reservations recommended.

100 Pythian Road, Santa Rosa, 800-795-6674, stfranciswinery.com

Virginie Boone is a freelance wine writer based in Sonoma County. She can be reached at virginieboone@yahoo.com and followed on Twitter @vboone.