No day in the Napa and Sonoma valleys is complete without good food. The region has a surfeit of fine restaurants, but sometimes, I’d much rather enjoy the pleasure of a leisurely picnic accompanied by a bottle of terrific wine. Plus, assembling lunch allows me to take advantage of the many wonderful local gourmet food stores, delis and markets.

Wineries that welcome BYO picnics are surprisingly uncommon in Napa and Sonoma, but I found three picturesque options where we lingered among sun-drenched vineyards, sipping at our own pace and savoring spreads far beyond the usual modest meat-and-cheese boards.

Rombauer Vineyards

Though this winery, popular for its buttery Chardonnay and flagship Cabernet, is hardly a secret, its deep culinary roots and prime alfresco dining spots are less well known. Co-founder Koerner Rombauer was the great-nephew of Irma Rombauer, author of the beloved cookbook The Joy of Cooking, and a deep appreciation for fine cuisine is a defining trait of the brand. The labels feature QR codes that link to a library of recipes matched to different wine, and seasonally inspired recipe cards are available to take home.

We booked a self-paced tasting in the gardens, an option some wineries offer but don’t encourage (too often, they have viewless tables and, in some cases, added fees). At Rombauer, by contrast, tables enjoy uninterrupted countryside views. We walked through sculpture-dotted gardens and took our seats at a table looking out over rows of vines stretching across the landscape. Request the Joan’s Garden or Valley View section for extra privacy and superior vistas.

At Joan’s Garden, we enjoyed an indulgent picnic of “bougie boxes” purchased from the nearby Café at Under-Study, a welcome new addition to Napa’s dining scene that’s run by the team behind Michelin-starred Press. My Luxe Lunchable included a decadent lobster-caviar corn dog accompanied by black-truffle fries and a flawless chocolate-chip cookie. I paired the lobster with Rombauer’s Carneros Chardonnay, which had enough bright acidity to cut through the dish’s richness. As picnic lunches go, this one set an unusually high bar. Reservations required.

Rombauer Vineyards 
3522 Silverado Trail North, St. Helena. Tel. (866) 280-2582

Bartholomew Estate Winery

The historic Bartholomew Estate, site of Sonoma’s first private vineyard, offers one of the valley’s friendliest and most relaxed picnic experiences. Wooden tables are scattered among towering redwoods and shady oak groves, with views of a charming duck pond, an old windmill and neatly ordered rows of vines.

We settled in Antonia’s Garden, a short walk from the main building, to enjoy provisions we’d gathered from Oakville Grocery, open since 1881. The shop tempts even the most disciplined; I browsed the shelves of locally made artisanal goodies far longer than I planned — the choosing is nearly as pleasurable as the meal itself.

In the end, our spread included a fiery ’nduja salumi from Journeyman Meat Co., Hobbs’ oakwood-smoked salmon (ordered at the grocery’s deli counter), peppercorn-infused chèvre from Skyhill Napa Valley Farms and the luxuriously rich Mt Tam triple-cream from Cowgirl Creamery, complemented by the store’s own housemade caramelized bacon-onion jam. The winery’s nutty Marsanne-Roussanne paired beautifully with the Mt Tam, while the hearty Press Release, a Syrah-Cabernet blend, brought out the full flavor of the meats. Bartholomew Estate’s excellent hiking trails provided a perfect justification for a second (and fourth) helping of cheese.

Though just minutes from Sonoma Plaza, the property feels entirely removed from the bustle of town.

Bartholomew Estate Winery 
1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma. Tel. (707) 509-0540

Laird Family Estate

Driving along Highway 29 past many of Napa’s marquee estates, it’s easy to miss Laird’s distinctive, pyramid-shaped winery, which blends into the surrounding landscape. In the 1970s, Ken Laird, with the help of Robert Mondavi, set about transforming a plum orchard into vineyards. Over time, the family built one of the valley’s largest custom-crush facilities, and in the ’90s, they began retaining some of their grapes to make their own wine. We could see the crush pad all abuzz from the tasting deck, but we chose the elevated garden terrace, with its enchanting views of the Mayacamas and Vaca mountains and the valley floor below, for our picnic perch.

To assemble this meal, we visited nearby Mercato del Gusto, V. Sattui Winery’s renowned deli, which reopened in fall 2025 after a comprehensive renovation and expansion. We went just for the market, since the winery and grounds can feel like a theme park.

Mercato del Gusto has a particularly tempting meat selection. From its curing cabinet, we ordered the bresaola created in partnership with star chef Stefano Masanti and a red wine-cured salami made from Mangalitsa pigs raised in Sonoma County. Once back at more tranquil Laird, we heaped the melt-in-your-mouth slices onto hand-torn pieces of an herb loaf from the Acme Bread Company, then indulged in Grazin’ Girl, a rich gorgonzola-style cheese by Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery, and a luscious basil-and-garlic-infused Foggy Morning selection by Nicasio Valley Cheese Company.

The panoramic setting, the superb food from V. Sattui and Laird’s fine Blanc de Blanc and Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir made for a perfectly sublime afternoon. Reservations required.

Laird Family Estate
5055 Solano Avenue, Napa. Tel. (707) 257-0360