What to wear to a winery can sometimes be a tough decision. There are lots of things that could factor in to how you’re going to dress. Different events call for different attire, weather plays a huge role, and even the terrain differences can cause you to second guess your outfit for the day.
It’s important to know what type of wine tasting you are going to and what the winery is like, which will help you make the best decision about what to wear, but there are some overall guidelines you can follow to help ensure you’re dressed in your best “wine country casual” attire.
Dressing for the Winery
You may have heard the term “wine country casual” being thrown around before when it comes to talking about what you should wear when going wine tasting, but a lot of people have differing opinions about what that means.
So instead of talking about “wine country casual” attire, lets just take a look at what most people wear to the wineries when they go wine tasting. This will give you a better idea of the types of clothing you should be leaning towards and what you should avoid.
Women
When it comes to women dressing for the winery the first thing you want to focus on is comfortable shoes. In most cases you’re going to want to avoid heels and instead focus on something flat. If you plan on taking a tour of the winery that could lead to a lot of walking on various terrain. Wineries are essentially working farms where you may not find a lot of paved or smooth roads/walkways as you venture around. Making sure your feet are protected with closed toes shoes and the ability to walk on rocks, gravel, dirt, and grass without your shoes bothering you, is an absolute must.
As for what to wear on your body, in most cases we would suggest not wearing your yoga pants or leggings, but instead opt for a classier look. A nice dress or top with a nice pair of darker jeans or cute shorts would be a great way to visit a winery.
Wearing layers is also a great idea depending on whether or not you know the climate in the area. California wineries can be very warm during the day, but once the sun goes down things can cool off pretty quickly. So having a cover-up or jacket with you may be a smart idea.
In most people’s eyes, wineries and wine tasting are more of a classy event, which require dressing a bit better than your average outing to a bar. Be sure you know the weather at the winery as well so you can adjust your outfit based on temperature.
The main thing is to be comfortable. Make sure your shoes aren’t going to hurt you or become a problem, and make sure you look nice enough while dressing for the weather.
Men
Dressing for men is fairly straight forward. A nice, collared button down shirt or polo is perfect attire for the winery. You can opt for either short sleeves or long sleeves depending on the weather, and shorts – as long as they are “dressy” shorts – are acceptable as well. Try to avoid cut-off jean shorts, athletic shorts, or light blue jeans. We would also recommend leaving your t-shirts at home, unless it’s a nice, plain colored t-shirt without any brand logos or prints on it. Remember, wineries aren’t the brewery, you’ll want to dress a touch more upscale than you would going to a brewery for a tasting.
Think about it this way, what you would wear to a baseball game would be acceptable at a brewery, but probably not on the golf course. What you would wear on the golf course is more aligned with what you would want to wear to a winery.
All wineries are a little different in terms of how you should dress, so if you have any questions regarding the attire for a specific winery, you can always check out their website or social media accounts and look at photos of other guests. This will give you a great idea of what people are wearing at the specific winery you intend to visit.
If you’re attending a winery for a special event, like a wedding, then you’ll want to adhere to the social norms for dressing for that occasion. Just because a wedding is held at a winery instead of a banquet hall, or another venue, doesn’t mean you can wear shorts and a polo to the wedding.
The event or occasion for which you are visiting the winery will also have an impact on the type of clothing you should wear. When it comes to winery attire, the main goal is that you’re comfortable and presentable. Most wineries do not have a dress code or enforce any sort of strict guidelines in terms of what you can and cannot wear when visiting, but wine tasting is a seen as a more upscale tradition, and your attire should reflect that. That being said, it’s more important to enjoy your experience at the winery, while tasting some of the incredible wines they have to offer, than to worry about your clothing. So don’t stress out too much about what you’re wearing and dress to have a good time.