Drinking alone VS social

My past relationship with alcohol has been a challenge. I decided to not play with it because I would use it to cope and escape when I was sad and alone. I am wanting to make friends in my new city and I was asked if I wanted to go out to a winery (this is a very popular area for wineries)… I have never been to one and always wanted to go with someone. Now that I have a new friend and it would be social, I am open to it but skeptical about if drinking alone is the same as drinking socially??