Is Wine Tasting Expensive? What It Costs in 2024

Wine tasting may seem like a pretentious pastime for the well-to-do, but it’s really quite affordable.

Contrary to what you might think, wine tasting isn’t that expensive. Wine tasting costs differ depending on the region. In the famous Napa Valley, the average tasting fee is $49 a person. In Finger Lakes, wine tasting is less expensive averaging only $12 a person. Many wineries discount tastings if you buy wine from them, making wine tasting even more affordable.

Here’s how much it costs, on average, to go wine tasting in Napa Valley, Sonoma, Monterey, the Finger Lakes, an Willamette Valley.

How Did I Calculate Wine Tasting Costs?

The cost for a wine tasting at each of the wineries listed was taken directly from their websites or by a phone call.

Because this is a post about how affordable wine tasting is, I took the least expensive wine tasting fee.

Many of the wineries and tasting rooms listed here offer more expensive “wine experiences” that include tours, small bites, or more exclusive, higher end limited edition, library, or estate wines.

Jargon Alert: A “library wine” is a wine from a previous year that the winery has held back for aging. An “estate wine” is a wine made from the grapes that the winery grows themselves instead of buying from another farmer.

Tip: Check out this helpful post on what vintage means in wine.

Each price listed is per person.

This means that if you’re tasting as a couple, you want to multiply that number by 2 or call the tasting room to see if you can split the tasting fee between 2 people.

This may not be possible in high-end wine tasting rooms where they require you to book and pay the tasting fee in advance and it’s per person.

How Much Wine Is Included in a Wine Tasting?

Wine rooms, wine bars, or wineries will have a selection of wines for you to taste, called a wine flight. Each flight has 2 to 7 wines that are usually 2-ounce pours. A standard glass of wine is 5 ounces, so you’ll get 1 to 2 glasses of wine depending on where you’re tasting. 

If you’re interested in drinking wine, not tasting wine, then there are certainly more affordable ways to get more wine for your money!

How Much Does It Cost to Go Wine Tasting in Napa Valley, California?

Napa Valley is the most expensive wine region to go wine tasting in the US. The average cost for the least expensive tasting flights in Napa Valley is $49.

An affordable tasting fee is $30 in Napa Valley and most tasting room fees start around $40 per person.

Here’s a list of wine tasting fees for Napa Valley wineries that include each winery’s least expensive and most expensive tasting fee. Remember, the most expensive tasting fee includes other experiences or access to special wines.

• Mumm Napa $40 – $125
• Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars $75-$245
• Inglenook $60-$100
• Bougetz Cellars $60-$70
• Domaine Carneros $40-$60
• Rutherford Hill $30-$150
• Hall Napa Valley $60-$250

How Much Does It Cost to Go Wine Tasting in Sonoma?

Wine tasting in Sonoma will cost you an average of $48 per person. Less expensive tasting fees can be as low as $20 per person. More premium wineries will cost upwards of $80 per person. Like Napa Valley, Sonoma is home to well-known wineries and a legacy of winemaking.This fact’s reflected in the more expensive tasting fees. 

• Sebastiani $50-$100
• Highway 12 Winery $12
• Sojourn Cellars $45
• WALT $40-$85
• Flowers Vineyard and Winery $74 -$125
• Jordan $80
• St. Francis Winery and Vineyards $30-$70

How Much Does It Cost to Go Wine Tasting in Monterey, California?

Monterey wine tasting is more affordable than Napa wine tasting. You’ll find tasting fees as low as $14, up to $45 for premium boutique tasting rooms.

The average cost of wine tasting fees in Monterey is $32 per person. California grows world-class Pinot Noir in the Santa Lucia Highlands, AVA, and is also home to vineyards growing grapes for several large wine brands.

Look for boutique tasting rooms tucked away in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carmel Valley Village.

• I. Brand Winery $40
• Talbott Vineyard $45
• A Taste of Monterey $14-$17
• Comanche Cellars $20
• Scheid Vineyard $25-$35
• Manzoni $24
• Bernardus $30

How Much Does It Cost to Go Wine Tasting in the Finger Lakes?

Wine tasting in the Finger Lakes is affordable on any budget. The average tasting fee for the Finger Lakes region is $12 per person, and most wineries charge $10 per tasting.

This makes an afternoon road trip to explore the region’s wineries a perfect getaway.

• Fox Run Vineyards $10
• Ravines Wine Cellars $15
• Prejean $10
• Keuka Springs Vineyards $10
• Hosmer Estate Winery $12
• Dr. Konstantin Frank $15

The lower overall tasting fees of Finger Lakes wine tasting rooms highlight how less well-known wine regions are much more affordable for wine tasting overall.

If you are passing through a smaller wine growing region on a road trip, the tasting fee will likely be nominal. This is a fabulous way to learn more about wine, winemaking, and the unique growing regions tucked around the country.

How Much Does It Cost to Go Wine Tasting in Willamette Valley?

Wine tasting in Oregon’s Willamette Valley costs an average of $25 per person. More premium tastings will cost $35. Home to many small, family-owned wineries, Willamette Valley’s the perfect low-stress wine getaway.

Plan on calling or emailing ahead of time to book your visit. Many of the wineries don’t host guests during harvest operations.

• Domaine de Broglie $30
• L’Angolo Estate $30
• Anne Amie $25-$35
• Coleman Vineyards $20
• Valcan $13-$17
• Brick House $25-$60
• Rain Dance Vineyards $35

Thirsty for More? How to Save Money Wine Tasting

There are lots of ways to save money on wine tasting. I’m actually pretty price-sensitive when it comes to going out wine tasting because I’m always looking for ways to have more money I can spend on great wines!

Check out this helpful post on how to save money the next time you want to go wine tasting.

Of course, the most economical way to taste wine is to host your own wine tasting.

Here’s a post on how to host your own wine tasting for beginners with friends, including wines to try or check out how to host a blind tasting at home.

And, because tasting at home is one of the best ways to get started with wine, I put together this post on wine flights that will take your wine tasting to the next level!

Other Wine Tasting Must-Knows

Going wine tasting is probably the best way to learn about wine. Check out this post that covers what you should do at a wine tasting.

Before you head out, make sure that you have a food plan for wine tasting. Most tasting rooms won’t offer food, so here’s what you need to know.

And if you’re new(er) to wine tastings, here’s a great list of questions you can ask to get the most out of your wine tasting adventure.