The VIT Card: Don’t Visit Napa Without It

Travelers to Napa and Sonoma counties have long had to pay for the privilege of tasting wines. The winery tasting rooms charge $2 to $4 per person.

Now, however, you can buy a card that allows two persons free tasting at 60 wineries in the Napa Valley and 40 in Sonoma. For $25, VIT Wine Marketing ( VIT stands for Very Important Taster) offers a one-year membership that also includes discounts on wine purchases.

Why are the wineries willing to forgo their charge for VIT members? The reason most charge for tasting, says VIT founder Paul Carnazola, is to discourage people who aren’t seriously shopping for wine. “If someone spends $25 in advance to sample wines,” he points out, “they’re probably not tire-kickers.”

Carnazola says he started VIT 18 months ago and has sold about 1,000 cards. Included is a 100-page book with information on tasting room and tour hours and phone numbers.

For details, write to VIT Wine Marketing, P.O. Box 174, Napa, CA 94559, or call (707) 255-1639.