How to improve on an escape room (you know, the trendy puzzle that locks you in a room with your friends)? Make it wine-themed, naturally. Chateau St. Jean, a winery in Sonoma Valley, California, now offers a 90-minute “escape the room” experience for groups that all hinges on wine, fittingly titled “Unlock the Chateau.”
According to the winery’s website, the goal is to “unlock the secret of the Chateau” by solving puzzles and riddles with clues (like old photographs, maps and wine barrels). If you, like us, are wondering where the drinking comes in, each participant gets a welcome glass of sparkling wine, a fresh glass upon unlocking the second room, and a flight of wine once you escape.
Honestly, we were interested at the mention of wine—but the chateau itself dates back to the 1920s, and we don’t pass on the promise of a Mediterranean-style garden either. The villa is also one of the few in the area to survive the wildfires of fall 2017.
Unlock the Chateau requires at least six people to participate (and it’s $60 per person), but it sure as hell beats a zombie apocalypse escape room any day.
