Fall Getaway: Harvest Season in Wine Country
The most wonderful time of the year for oenophiles is here - and no, it’s not the holidays. In fact, the period is filled with an infusion of orange colored and pumpkin flavored everything. You guessed it. It’s fall.
Why would wine lovers be all over the leaf-falling, sweater-wearing season? Well, fall is the start of wine harvest in Napa and Sonoma, and it’s a huge deal in the wine community.
The season brings a number of harvest parties and immersive learning experiences for wine lovers coming from all over California (not to mention all the delicious wine samples!). It is also one of the only places in the greater Bay Area that gets real foliage, with the vineyards turning a bright orange and gold against the green hills.
So wine lovers, rejoice, because your time is here.Here are some events in Wine Country that will get you celebrating the harvest season in its true form - straight from the vines.
Napa Valley
Northern Rhone Valley Tasting at Back Room Wines | Oct.7 | $20/tasting
Back Room Wines pours an outstanding flight of five wines from France’s Northern Rhone Valley including Condrieu, Hermitage, Cornas, Cote-Rotie and Saint Joseph. Drop in and sip on the delicious white and red wines as you relish in the autumn sights of the winery.
Cooking Class | Oct.8 and 9 | $350 per person for 2 days
Transform your weekend into a gourmet retreat with this two-day hands-on cooking class. The class incorporates the remaining flavors of summer and introduces the rich, earthy essences of fall in its cooking menu. You’ll cook with figs, squash and tomatoes and will also get to enjoy some delicious wine as you prepare your masterpiece.
Sonoma County
Cellar Sessions | Every Thursday until Oct.20 | $25 per person
Tin Barn Vineyards presents a weekly series of tastings highlighting the beauty of harvest season: Cellar Sessions. Guests will experience an educational tasting, sample fresh-pressed juice or barrel samples, witness the crush process or observe punchdowns.
Pinot on the River | Oct. 29 | $75 per person
Pinot on the River is a fun filled weekend of Pinot Noir in the beautiful Russian River Valley town of Healdsburg. You’ll sit with the winemakers and other Pinot-loving consumers and learn about everything having to do with the red wine. You’ll also get to experience the Pinot Noir Grand Tasting, with over 100 wineries plus artisan food vendors showing off their best all throughout downtown Healdsburg Plaza Square.