Food & Wine

Discover Wine Tasting in Bodega Bay

Sonoma Coast Vineyards

In the charming Sonoma County fishing village of Bodega Bay, you won’t find wine grapes growing on the rocky hills, and seagulls are more common there than vineyard hawks—but a wine lover won’t risk going thirsty here.

Bodega Bay restaurants feature primarily local wines, and the town is home to a gem of a wine store/wine bar, as well as a winery tasting room pouring top-quality coastal vintages.

Gourmet Au Bay

Since 1995, Gourmet au Bay has kept locals and visitors well quaffed, with an impressive collection of local wines hand-selected from Sonoma County wineries. There are two rules: Each wine must be boutique, produced in 1,000 cases or less, and designated 90-plus points or bear a gold medal award.

In a salute to the shop’s waterfront location, instead of simply tasting, guests go “wine surfing,” choosing three wines from the daily menu and receiving two-ounce pours placed on a little wooden surfboard.

Little surfboards for serving wine at Gourmet Au Bay — Gourmet Au Bay

If you find a wine you favor, you can purchase a full glass or a bottle, and in a nice, neighborly touch, the store owners will point you to area restaurants that waive their corkage fee for customers bearing Gourmet au Bay bottles.

Many guests also grab a bottle to-go for their own picnics, filling their food baskets with gourmet cheeses and charcuterie from the on-site gift shop and deli.

Sonoma Coast Vineyards

A bottle of Pinot Noir and a glass of red wine sit next to a cork screw — Sonoma Coast Vineyards

And don’t miss the other opportunity for wine tasting in Bodega Bay: the Sonoma Coast Vineyards tasting room. This luxury brand handcrafts exceptional wines from a unique cold-climate growing area west of the Russian River Valley and a mere five miles from the Pacific Ocean. Utilizing the wealth and expertise of wine maker Tiana Sawyer, SCV is best known for producing top-quality coastal wines such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah.

SCV works in close partnerships with a small group of ambitious growers to produce wines of exceptional complexity, expressing their true varietal and terroir characteristics. Its tasting room in Bodega Bay offers two experiences: drop-in tasting at the wine bar or (by reservation only) privately hosted tastings.

Non-Wine Experiences in Bodega Bay

People walk along the sand in a cove on the bay — Doran Regional Park

Aside from wine, there’s much more to do and see in Bodega Bay. This charming coastal town isn’t just a picturesque fishing port; it’s also a sensational place to indulge in seafood—crab, salmon, rockfish and more—taken right off a local boat.

Sunset view from a dining table at Tides Wharf Restaurant in Bodega Bay — Tides Wharf Restaurant

Grab a seat at one of the picnic tables in front of Spud Point Crab Company, where you can bite into a fresh crab sandwich and gaze at fishing boats docked nearby. Perhaps you’d prefer a casual dinner at the Tides Wharf Restaurant, where scenes from the classic movie The Birds were filmed. Or you might choose to go all out with a meal at Terrapin Creek Café, where fresh ingredients and innovative cuisine have won national acclaim.

Bodega Bay Lodge exterior beside the bay at sunset — Bodega Bay Lodge

Want to stay longer? Head for luxurious Bodega Bay Lodge, where each room provides amazing ocean views. The elegant guest lodges at Inn at the Tides are nestled in beautiful and secluded surroundings; the Bodega Harbor Inn, conveniently located in old town Bodega Bay, overlooks Bodega Harbor; or check our listings of coastal hotels and B&Bs.