The Ultimate Napa Winery Picnic at V. Sattui

One of my new favorite low-key adventures is picnicking! While backyard picnics are perfect for laid-back days, I love taking a day trip to wine country and pairing a picnic with wine tasting.

Although Sonoma is normally my wine tasting region of choice, V. Sattui keeps me coming back to Napa Valley. I know what I like, so instead of splurging on a tasting flight, I’ll just buy a bottle and enjoy it with lunch — it’s my favorite Napa winery picnic spot!

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The Backstory on Napa Winery Regulations

Did you know that Napa wineries are highly regulated? Many of the county’s restrictions date back to the Winery Definition Ordinance (WDO) of 1990, which was created to preserve Napa’s agricultural focus and protect local vineyards.

Per the ordinance, wineries are prohibited from profiting off the sale of food and from functioning as a café or restaurant. Additional restrictions include not being able to host large non-agricultural events such as weddings. 

While the ordinance shapes how wineries operate,  everyone knows that wine is best paired with food, and what better setting than a picnic? A few wineries in Napa offer picnicking (if their permit allows), but even fewer can provide food on-site, which means you’ll often need to bring your own. 

Fortunately, a small handful of wineries — including the legendary V. Sattui — predate the Winery Definition Ordinance. V. Sattui is grandfathered in to provide a full deli and public picnic grounds, making it one of the few wineries in the county where you can purchase food on-site and enjoy a truly authentic picnic in Napa Valley.

V. Sattui: A Napa Winery with a Legacy

V. Sattui has quite a history. It was first established in San Francisco by Italian immigrant Vittorio Sattui nearly 150 years ago. Although the winery was forced to close down during Prohibition, Sattui’s great-grandson reopened it in Napa Valley in 1975. 

Since then, this family-owned winery has gone on to receive numerous awards and become one of the most beloved wineries in the region. V. Sattui boasts 2.5 acres of shaded picnic grounds, offers a full marketplace and deli, and sells its wine exclusively direct to consumers. 

It’s the perfect place for a classic Napa winery picnic!

Planning the Perfect Napa Winery Picnic at V. Sattui

If you’re looking to organize a Napa winery picnic, here are a few tips for planning the perfect outing at V. Sattui. 

What to Bring

For a premium picnic experience, bring your own wine glasses! Although V. Sattui offers disposable cups and dishes in their marketplace for a small fee, they don’t provide glassware for picnicking. 

You can also bring your own dishware and cutlery, although it’s not strictly necessary. I wrapped our wine glasses in cloth napkins to keep them from breaking, and was surprised by how much they elevated the feel of our picnic.

If you like, you can also bring a picnic blanket. While the winery does have plenty of picnic tables, a blanket is a good backup if it gets crowded. Either way, relaxing with a glass of wine to read, nap, or chat is always fun! We also brought our trusty picnic tray, although we didn’t end up needing it.

Note: If you forget glassware or other picnic equipment, V. Sattui offers branded items for sale in its marketplace. However, their supplies are on the pricey side.

What Not to Bring

V. Sattui doesn’t permit outside food or beverages, and they check bags! We didn’t know there were restrictions and brought some sparkling water, which was permissible according to their staff. But leave any consumable picnic supplies at home and enjoy V. Sattui’s amazing deli and marketplace.

Although you can bring a bottle opener if you want to, they’ll open your wine for you upon purchase, so it isn’t necessary. 

Time Your Visit

V. Sattui can get quite crowded, especially on weekends. They don’t take reservations for picnicking, only for wine tasting.

Especially on busy days, it’s better to go early to avoid the crowds. However, their spacious picnic grounds provide ample places to picnic, particularly if you bring a blanket!

Shop for Food & Wine at V. Sattui’s Deli & Marketplace

Once you arrive at V. Sattui, you can shop for food and wine at the deli and marketplace. For food options, V. Sattui has a wide variety of sandwiches, panini, charcuterie, salads, and desserts. On weekends, they even have a food truck on-site that provides BBQ. 

During our recent visit, we enjoyed the turkey bacon and caprese paninis, a caprese salad, and tiramisu, which were all delightful. 

Of course, don’t forget to grab a bottle of wine! Since V. Sattui sells its wines exclusively direct to customers, your picnic becomes an experience you really can’t replicate elsewhere.

If you need a recommendation, their staff can offer assistance (or you can use ChatGPT as your AI sommelier). My favorite wine from V. Sattui is the Gamay Rouge, a lightly sweet, fruity rosé — the perfect wine for picnicking! They also have non-alcoholic options available.

We didn’t realize they had chilled wines available for sale, but the staff member who checked us out found out we were picnicking and swapped our bottle for a cold one. Truly a game-changer!

Find a Picnic Spot & Enjoy

Once you have your food and wine, all that’s left is to find a place on the grounds and enjoy your picnic! V. Sattui has numerous areas with picnic tables and/or grassy areas. When we were there, they were undergoing some renovations, but you can ask a staff member to let you know which areas are currently open for picnicking. 

The grassy area closest to the road is a lovely spot to hang out, despite some minimal road noise. The Napa Valley Wine Train drove by while we were there, which we thought was charming and added to the experience.

After finishing our food at a picnic table, we spent some time reading on a picnic blanket. All in all, a blissfully peaceful afternoon enjoying a Napa winery picnic!

From Napa to Your Backyard