Foo Fighters are undeniably one of my favorite bands.
So when I learned the band would headline BottleRock Napa Valley on Saturday night, I began to wonder: What wine pairs best with the multiplatinum rock favorite?
Set in the heart of Napa Valley Wine Country, BottleRock typically draws thousands to the three-day festival, where the region’s world-class wines share the stage with major musical acts.
The three-day festival has become as much a showcase for the region’s food and wine as for its musical lineup, drawing tens of thousands of attendees who move between celebrity chef demonstrations, tasting lounges and main-stage performances.
This year, two dozen wineries are pouring a total of nearly 100 wines across the festival, so I knew finding the perfect pairing for America’s friendliest band was within reach.
Whether ticket holders are chilling in General Admission, relaxing in VIP or sitting in Skydeck, BottleRock prides itself on offering all attendees a worthy selection of wines, local beers and refreshing cocktails.
But the Platinum Lounge, where tickets cost nearly $6,500 for a three-day pass, is decidedly best-in-show.
Kent Porter / The Press Democrat
Bartenders mix drinks at the Platinum Lounge during BottleRock Napa Valley, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
“Our goal is to offer things that are unexpected and over the top, like a comparison tasting between Dom Perignon, Krug and Cristal,” said Justin Dragoo, one of BottleRock’s lead partners. “Most people don’t have the opportunity to sample all of these special wines at the same time. But consumers in the Platinum Lounge appreciate it.”
Desmond Echavarrie, a Napa-based Master Sommelier, begins planning the Platinum selections each November. I caught up with him and his team during a tasting of cult Cabernets inside the lounge.
“We like to introduce the crowd to some great producers they might not be familiar with, both from around the world and from Napa Valley,” Echavarrie said. “People tend to love local Cabernets, Champagne and rare, highly sought-after wines, so we focus on that, too.”
The lounge features exclusive pours from local producers, including Eisele Vineyard, Lokoya, Heitz Cellar and Caymus Vineyards, alongside a rotating schedule of seated tastings led by Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine.
Mark de Vere, a Coombsville-based Master of Wine who has worked alongside Echavarrie for the past six years, said the goal each year is to keep the experience evolving.
“Every year we try to come up with new wine ideas for the Platinum Lounge —a fresh trend, something yet to be discovered, something fun,” de Vere said. “We want to curate cool, new experiences.”
Among this year’s additions is a special tasting with celebrated Napa Valley winemaker Chris Carpenter of Cardinale, La Jota and Lokoya; a “Summer White Flight”; a comparative tasting of 2016 Napa Valley and Bordeaux wines; and an “Icons of Champagne” flight.
As for what Echavarrie plans to pour during the Foo Fighters set, he wasn’t able to reveal specifics. But he offered a clue.
“I think the Foo Fighters would pair with a great Cabernet Sauvignon or a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir,” he said. “There is a very generous Napa Valley winemaker who makes Maxem Pinot Noir from a vineyard outside Occidental. I may try to get that in front of people during the Foo Fighters performance.”
Coincidentally, a Sonoma County Pinot Noir was exactly what I had in mind.