There are few things that are better than a beautiful summer day spent drinking glasses of wine with friends, especially when you're doing so at the wineries. It's just so much more relaxing to enjoy your favorite vino as you sit among the picturesque grape vines on a picnic bench, you know? The only problem with a wineries trip, of course, is how you're going to get around. You obviously aren't going to drink wine and drive, so you have to either find a designated driver, or hire someone for the day (which can get expensive). Enter Uber's UberWINE product, your new favorite way to explore all the vineyards has to offer this summer.
UberWINE is essentially like having a private Uber driver for the day who will take you on a tour of the wineries. It's a lot cheaper than getting on a party bus or in a limo, and it makes the whole experience so much more convenient, relaxed, and stress-free. After all, the preferred way to hang at the wineries is to be chauffeured from one vineyard to the next. Exploring is half the fun!
There is just one catch, though, and it's kind of a big one: According to Uber, this portion of the app is only available in Santa Barbara's wine country, Napa/Sonoma Valley, and Valle de Guadeloupe. You can only use it if you plan on visiting California and touring their famous vineyards, or you want to take a trip to Mexico. Now, you could look at this one of two ways: a major bummer, or a great excuse to plan a trip to Santa Barbara this summer. You deserve it!
If you are going to be in any of those places this summer, then UberWINE will be at your service, and you'll absolutely want to know how to use it.
Here's how it works: when you go into the Uber app, you'll have the option to request a personal driver who will stay with you all day. When you're in the app, go to the specialties section (swipe to the left of UberX, and it will pop up). From there, select WINE or WINEXL. WINE pairs you with an UberX car that will seat up to four riders, and WINEXL will pair you with a vehicle that seats six.
Once you select one of those, you'll be paired with a driver for the day. There are many advantages to this: for one thing, you'll feel super comfortable and safe, knowing your driver definitely won't be indulging with you. Another upside is that you can leave any belongings you want in the car while you go do your thing outside.
Of course, you also enjoy the convenience of Uber. You can call or text your driver through the app whenever you're ready to be whisked off to the next winery. This is a definite advantage over a tour or a party bus, where you're generally on a stricter schedule, and have to go where and when the driver is ready.
WINE and WINEXL are also available for the majority of the day, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., meaning you have hours and hours of winery fun before you need to head back.
The fares aren't bad either. On average, it costs about $35 an hour, which is a lot cheaper than a private car service. The more people you have with you, the more you can split the price, which brings it down even more.
UberWINE has been in service since 2015 and it's still going strong, so that definitely says something about its success. This is a great way to safely get around the wineries, and I can only hope they bring their services to other parts of the country. New York needs you, UberWINE!
