michele_d

Hi Everyone,
I am also posting this over in the US Forum under California but I really need some help as quickly as possible.

Back Story: We live in Kern County, California and have recently been approved by the county to build a wine tasting room on our 20 acre property. We went through the CUP (Conditional Use Permit) process for most of the year and finally received our approval Oct. 10. The county is now changing their minds on the fact that we can sell cheese and fruit platters with our wine. We will charge for these. The fact that we wanted to do this has always been in our paperwork but they are now taking this away from us, and there is no convincing them at this point. We have been instructed to show them where else within the state, that cheese and fruit, small snacks are served alongside wine tasting. I know we have encountered this practice at many wineries but many do not list this on their website and I just cannot remember the individual wineries.

I need your help please. Can any of you give me the name of wineries anywhere in the state that you have visited that served small food with the wine? Not restaurants and not just pretzels or crackers.

I would think this would be obvious to the county officials, that eating a little bit while drinking is good, but in reality the building of wine tasting rooms in this county is a very new venture and they are lost also it seems as to where we fall.

Any help would be SOOOO much appreciated.
Thank you, Michele

michele_d

Ack...I posted this over on the Fodors Lounge also!

Patty

Of the top of my head, Wrath and Caraccioli in Carmel sell cheese plates and other snacks. These are tasting rooms in town, not on a vineyard though. What is their objection? Is it the selling of the food or serving of the food?

michele_d

Hi Patty,
It is that they are saying we are zoned Agricultural and therefor they will not allow us to sell food. I have been getting some good ideas over on the Lounge. Might have some leads from over there. Thank you.

lynni

A winery just opened here in June called Presqu'ile and although I haven't seen them offer small bites at the tasting counter, I have seen plates of more substantial fare being served in private wine club areas... Not sure if thre is an extra charge or if it is a membership perk.

Rather than posting on Fodors, I think you would get better information from some of the wine associations... Paso Robles, Santa Barbara , Santa Maria and Santa Ynez areas to start. Good luck!

davispeets

Domaine Carnerros - cheese plate, nuts.

http://www.domainecarneros.com//index.cfm

toncasmo

a lot of the wineries in El Dorado county have always had out appetizer snacks, brownies etc

toncasmo

but they didn't charge for them so maybe that makes a difference

michele_d

I don't think the county even knows why they won't allow it. We have been given three different reasons that totally contradict each other. All we plan to serve is a hunk of cheese, some grapes or olives and some bread on a small wooden platter with a knife. Just a snack. Our job now is to show that this is pretty standard fare for tasting rooms, that we are not the first to do this.

boom_boom

michele_d - when you get up and running, would love to know where in Kern your tasting room is, since too live in Kern County.

AustinTraveler

Here in Paso Robles:

Cass
Daou
Jada
LeVigne
Justin

I'm sure there are many more.

davispeets

Here is the Domaine Carneros menu:

http://www.domainecarneros.com/asset...ice%20Menu.pdf

michele_d

You guys are the best..that makes two dozen now that you found that serve cheese/fruit platters in conjunction with the wine.
Thank you guys soooo much!

rialtogrl

Robert Sinskey in Napa Valley serves little plates of food with their tastings. It is included in the (hefty) tasting fee though.

The law is so completely bizarre - they don't want people to get hammered, obviously, but then won't let some places offer even a cracker to a taster.

Good luck

michele_d

<The law is so completely bizarre - they don't want people to get hammered, obviously, but then won't let some places offer even a cracker to a taster.>

I agree..this is so obvious to us but not to them.

Thanks for another name. I am compiling like crazy right now.

toncasmo

el dorado county
latcham
perry creek
Fitzpatrick
granite springs
those are off top of my head

michele_d

toncasmo...those are great...thank you.

Problem is now I want to visit these wineries. Arghhh.