wine

Graduation is what's on everybody's mind this time of year, whether it's from middle school or a Ph.D. program. These rites of passages are among the most important to a student, for obvious reasons. It's when their new life begins! If you are a new graduate or love a new graduate, we know ways to help ease the transition from student at university to student of life – sampling the most delicious wine and beer that San Diego has to offer. We help you celebrate on our train tour, roam La Jolla on a beer or wine walking tour, or visit breweries and wineries all over the county in our chauffeured van.   And, by the way. We absolutely love to teach people about the different, wonderful beers and wines San Diego has to offer and introduce them to new…

Somebody get this guy a glass of wine!   We at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours love and respect our dads – and yours!  We think that if beer is the mother of civilization, then wine is the father of culture. Its history can be traced at least to 4100 BCE, but wine probably existed far earlier. It has always been around, kind of like your dad.  Speaking of dads, did you know that the Founding Fathers of the United States were oenophiles? Thomas Jefferson had cellar after cellar of wine, and John Adams personally toured Bordeaux.  So, as you can see, fathers and wine (and beer!) all have mutual histories. We want to help you honor your father! That's why we're offering $5 off each ticket on our Fathers Celebration Tours during the month of June. We'll see…

  Memorial Day, once known as Decoration Day, is a federal holiday with somber roots. It's a day that was specifically created after the Civil War to honor the memory of the men and women in uniform who died fighting wars. Over time, it has evolved into a day to acknowledge all those who are departed, not just those in uniform, and to spend time with loved ones. We at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours honor our women and men in uniform and hold them in the highest esteem. That's why we are offering a special military discount and $5 off  all tours throughout the month of May. And you better believe that we'll be drinking a toast to you! Brooke B., Hero Worshiper 

It's Cinco de Mayo. Did you know that in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo isn't widely celebrated? It's true.  However, that shouldn't stop you from enjoying the day by experimenting with Mexican libations! If you're feeling like making a day trip, you can visit the legendary BCB Tasting Room near downtown Tijuana where they have hundreds of beers on tap, or range a little farther afield and head off to Mexico's wine country. The Guadalupe Valley is renowned for its wines, which don't get a lot of airtime in the United States because of steep tariffs. If leaving the country isn't your thing, it's possible to find excellent Baja California beers and wines in the United States, although not as easily for the aforementioned tariffs, but since Mexico's getting into the craft beer brewing business just as enthusiastically as the United…

  Oh, Tax Day.  Is there any date more dreaded or breathlessly awaited in this country than April 15th?   Doing taxes is a chore, even when you know you're going to get a big return at the end. It's even worse when you know you're going to have to pay, and the bugbear of being audited lurks around the corner of every impenetrable phrase.  Luckily, you have us. We can't do your taxes for you (although I'm sure we can suggest some of our favorite accountants) but we can take the edge off by offering you a good deal on a beer or a wine tour to reward yourself after you've done your yearly duty with the IRS!  Call us and mention: "Taxes 1040" and get  $10.40 off each ticket for any San Diego Wine Country or Winery Train Tour.*…

From left to right: son Ben, daughter RaeAnne, daughter Jade, grandson Coleton, Shira’s mother Malka, daughter Shayna, daughter Leeyah Mother’s Day is a very special time around here. Our very own Shira Bliss is an extraordinary mum, raising five beautiful children of her own, so she understands what mothers go through very well. That’s why we go out of our way to make our Mother’s Day tours very special ones for hardworking moms and their grateful kids. Jean “Shep” Shepherd, the humorist best known for penning and narrating “A Christmas Story,” once famously proclaimed that “beer is the mother of us all.” We agree that beer is a wonderful invention, and one that’s even been credited with helping create civilization. So, what better way to treat your mother on Mother’s Day than to introduce her to the delights of the mother…

  Earth Day is one of our favorite days of the year, but not for the reason you might think. While we love that there's a day dedicated to the planet we all share, we think that every day should be Earth Day. That's why we do the tours we do – it's the only fully “green” winery and beer tour you can find in San Diego.   Our chauffeured tours are no different.  While we're driving you so you can fully enjoy San Diego's great beer and wine, rest assured knowing that our low-emission vehicles help you participate in our environmentally friendly practices. We're also reducing our carbon footprints in another, more subtle way. By showing San Diego the delights of its own vibrant wine, craft beer, and local food scenes, we are helping them buy locally – which…

  Sure, the flowers are popping up and birds are singing and it's warming up, but the true sign of spring is nearly here: the San Diego Padres' home opener against the Dodgers at San Diego's Petco Park. While we love baseball in all its permutations, and will support the Padres in the face of any evidence to the contrary, we feel as though the true story about Petco Park is being ignored – the existence of “Craft Beers of the Padres.” Yes, you can stop by Petco Park and choose from an amazing array of beers from local microbreweries while you take in a game. No more watered-down stadium beers with inferior ingredients –San Diego local craft beer are the winning team for us.  We’d say that alone is worth a stint at Petco Park, whether or not you're…

  We've already mentioned that this is one of our favorite times of year, from the Easter egg hunts to the buds on the trees.  We're also pretty sure we've mentioned wine's particular role in the spring season's rites and rituals, but since Easter (and springtime in general) is all about beginnings, today we're going to talk about the integral role beer has played in human history: helping spark civilization. That's right. Your humble glass of beer isn't just a delight, nor is it a brew reserved for sailors and ruffians (although, really, was it ever?) It's the reason everything, absolutely everything, exists as you know it.  The theory goes thus: ancient Sumerians discovered that they could ferment barley, and were so happy with the results that they retired from their nomadic ways to cultivate it. There was enough enough…

Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. -Robert Frost The weather's warming up, the sun's out, birds are chirping, and the sunburned tourists are arriving. It's springtime, one of our favorite times of year around here! Everything is new again, the cold and damp of winter has passed, and we can't get enough of the daffodils, johnny-jump-ups, and nasturtiums that are making our gardens burst with color. Spring is also a very important time in the wine world. It's when the vines start to wake up and start popping out buds, so we need to either store or drink last year's vintage to clear away room for the new, whether it's a cool flowery riesling, a delicate rosé, or a thick, sweet icewine. It's a very nice ritual, and dare we say, it's far preferable to spring cleaning….