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Would you like caviar with that? Napa winery opens drive-thru
A winery in California’s Napa Valley has opened a drive-thru service with complimentary caviar for anyone who buys a full case.
Last month, California’s wineries, breweries, bars, restaurants and taprooms were asked to close as governor Gavin Newsom imposed a lockdown across the state to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The state’s first case of coronavirus was confirmed on 25 January and, since then, there have been a total of 16,284 cases reported and 386 deaths, according to the New York Times’ rolling database.
This could, naturally, be a hammer blow to the value of the country’s wine sector. California makes around 81% of all US wine and is the world’s 4th leading wine producer, according to the California Wine Institute. The state’s wine sector employs roughly 325,000 people, while the 23.6 million tourists who visit California wine regions spend around US$7.2 billion last year.
Thankfully, the measures only apply to tours, tasting activities and events. Wineries are now adapting to the new rules by offering pick-up and delivery services, but some are going the extra mile to stand out.
Ashes & Diamonds winery, located in the Oak Knoll district of Napa Valley, is using booking platform Tock to open up a delivery and drive-thru service to supply locals with the high-end wines in its portfolio, and is throwing in caviar as a treat.
Customers can opt for either delivery or drive-through, and reserve a specific time slot, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m to order a package that include Ashes & Diamonds wines as well as snacks such as focaccia, locally made cheese and caviar.
The winery’s prices range from US$45 for a 2017 vintage white wine made with Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillion, to $125 for a 2016 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon.
Customers who order at least three bottles of wine will get an additional bundle of food, which includes Focaccia, Rancho Gordo bean dip, house made pickles and locally produced cheese. Those who order at least six bottles will also get a portion of trout roe, and only those who splash out on a 12-bottle case will be given a complimentary 1oz serving of caviar.
Though it is the most premium we’ve seen, Ashes & Diamonds is not the only business transitioning to drive-thru service while lockdown measures are in place.
In the UK, Nottingham-based brewery Castle Rock has also opened a drive-thru service allowing customers to stock up on 5lr, 10lr or 20lr polypins, alongside cases of bottled beer and mini kegs of its session ale.
Craft beer giant Brewdog, meanwhile, has turned a large portion of its UK bar network into drive-thru stations. The brewer has set up a new app, called Hop Drop, which allows people to select their nearest Brewdog bar, choose the beers and food they want to take away, and adding 30% off all orders as an extra incentive.