In Yountville, you can now carry a glass of wine down the sidewalk. Sip Yountville is the town's entertainment zone and the first open-container district in Napa Valley. Adults 21 and over can buy a drink from a participating business and walk around downtown with it.
The rules
- Hours: Every day, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Where: Washington Street between Champagne Drive and Jackson Street, plus connected stretches of Yount Street and Finnell Road.
- Cups: Drinks have to be in the town-approved cup the business gives you. KTVU described them as plastic.
- Cost: No entry fee. You just pay for your drink.
The Yountville Chamber of Commerce says the program was set up with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Its list of participants as of May included Hope & Grace Wines, Ciccio, Pancha's, The Restaurant at North Block, Jessup Cellars, RH Yountville, Mad Fritz Tap House, Bottega, V Wine Cellars, The Yount Room, Handwritten Wines, Priest Ranch, Wine Country Connection and Villagio Bar.
What merchants say
KTVU reported that businesses in the zone are seeing results. "We've seen a noticeable uptick in sales of wines by the glass," Paul Hahn of Hestan Vineyards Tasting Room told the station. Mara Williams, tasting room manager at Priest Ranch, said it lets guests enjoy the wines without being "restricted to one location."
KTVU framed the zone as part of Wine Country's effort to attract younger visitors. "Tourism is really important to us," said Tara Blum, a Yountville designer.