For visitors to the valley, the areas hotels and inns also celebrate the crush with custom packages to help create a memorable harvest time trip to the napa valley. October is crush season and very popular and prices reflect it too harvest starts in september with the culmination of crush. Whether you want to experience the excitement of harvest or want to take a leisurely private tour of the valleys more popular estates, here is your go to guide for the best time to visit napa valley wine country. When is the best time to visit napa valley crush season for tourists. Napa valley hotel deals featured packages silverado resort. Riding up and down highway 29 every day, i pass dozens of wineries. Sattui hosts a crush party in late september or early october.
Harvest began in midaugust with sparkling wine producers across napa valley bringing in pinot noir, pinot grigio and chardonnay. The date of the annual grape harvest varies with weather conditions, but it generally starts between the end of july and end of august and lasts about eight weeks. They can also make dining and shopping recommendations to help you make the most of your holiday in napa valley. The crush refers to a specific time of year when grapes must enter the crushing process at the right moment for the best wine. Every year during late summer and early fall, workers tend the fields from dawn until dusk, clipping grapes and preparing them for the juicing process. Its the one time each year youre able to see the wineries in full operations and crush pads loaded down with just. Get active and have some good old fashioned fun with grape crushing this season. The crush specifically refers to an action like grape stomping or modern crush methods chosen by winemakers. But its an absolute must in september during crush. In this episode, we center on a husband and wife who just fell in love with the people, culture, and the stories of all things wine. Late autumn is a wonderful time to visit napa, just as the crush season is coming to a close and winemakers. Nov 07, 2003 the fall wine harvest is underway in the napa valley.
As the fall weather starts to roll in there are many harvest celebrations happening around the world. Napa valley harvest and crush season depends on the weather, but is typically underway from august through october. Sep 20, 2017 napa valley is heavily promoting september and october crush season with interactive experiences, wine tastings, banquets and new accommodations. Watch wine videos from hall wines and goosecross cellars. Room rates are typically reduced during the low season at bed the napa inn, which is comprised of two stunning queen anne victorian mansions built at the turn of the century. Napa valley wine guide with an overview of the famous californian ava. A common question is when is the best time to visit napa valley crush season for tourists. Napa valley harvest season each year from august through october, the napa valley comes alive with the excitement and rush of harvest. Grape crush season begins when the grapes start to turn color in mid to late summer. Its harvest time and crush season in the vineyards, and if you get a chance to escape from san francisco, we highly recommend a napa valley wine tasting tour. The best time to visit napa is august through october or march through may. Some wineries celebrate by hosting pre or postcrush parties with wine tasting, food, and live. Pixabay in napa valley, september is harvest season but what might be even more exciting is what happens in october wine crush. Napa valley winery event calendar napa valley vintners.
The 5th annual crush challenge is back to the harvest season following the winecountry wild fires and our temporary move to may for the 2018 event. California wine 2019 harvest report wine industry advisor. Harvest is peak season for visiting napa valley, mainly because there is so much to do. The other centers on a familyowned producer of smalllot, handcrafted, estate wines, with a special emphasis on worldclass pinot noir. Let us bring the parallel wines napa valley tasting room to you and your. Crush lounge at the meritage resort napa, ca 94558. The smell of crushed and fermenting grapes is everywhere. A fast overview of napa valley including updated regions and a napa wine map. No, its not the holiday season, but there is a lot to get excited about this time of year in napa valley. The basics of crush season learn what goes on in the vineyard and winery during each stage of the annual harvest for wine grapes veraison, when grapes start to change color and soften, marks the beginning of harvest season. Historically, it has been part of the process of wine making but its also a.
To preserve and promote napa valleys worldclass vineyards stephen rothfeld wonderful nurseries. Sep 06, 2018 harvest is peak season for visiting napa valley, mainly because there is so much to do. Wineries are bustling with life, leaves start to turn a golden red, and the smell of grapes fills the autumn air it is harvest time in napa valley. By the way, if you plan on going to napa valley, be prepared for heavy traffic.
As one of californias most beautiful and special regions, napa valley attracts visitors from all over the world and therefore is not geared toward budget travel. Many wineries have ceremonies mostly small and private to honor the land and pay tribute to all of the hard work tending the bounty of grapes. The name napa valley creates romantic visions of rolling hills, endless vines, rustic architecture, and deep red wines, but for most people, it also means expensive. At times i felt like i was on the brink of losing consciousness from a combination of heat stroke and carbon monoxide poisoning. In the fall is when the grapes get harvested and wine production kicks in. San francisco the 2019 winegrape harvest started one to two weeks later than usual in many california wine regions. An exceptional growing season makes for a potential landmark vintage. Wine crush season 2, episode portland radio project. Its the one time each year youre able to see the wineries in full operations and crush pads loaded down with justpicked grapes.
Napa valley, napa valley wine country, wine country explorer. During this time, tasting rooms may be shortstaffedan allhandsondeck policy is required to. Our customers love the convenience of being picked up at their hotel for an 810 hour excursion. Join us for a casual lunch, happy hour or latenight craft cocktail while enjoying 12 highdefinition televisions, perfect for game day. Enjoy some laughs, get dirty out in the california. Fall is also a great time to go to napa for the grape harvest and the fall color in the vineyards. If youre planning a trip to napa valley, youve undoubtedly heard of napa valley harvest season.
Theres no way of knowing until well into next years growing season when harvest will begin and end, but early october should be well within prime crush, especially the reds. To preserve and promote napa valley s worldclass vineyards stephen rothfeld wonderful nurseries. Napa valley weather is mild and wineries are open year round, so the best time to visit napa valley depends mostly on the type of experience you want to enjoy. You may be relieved to hear that the best time to visit during crush season is anytime. Immerse yourself in the splendor of the grape harvest during this annual fall event. The stages of harvest in napa valley harvest napa valley. Oct 24, 2003 this years fall harvest was a relatively short one. Tending to the grapevines is a yearround process, but this is the time when the vineyards and the wineries bustle with workers racing to pick grapes at their peak ripeness. Every year from august through october, winemakers and vineyard workers race against nature to pick grapes at the peak of ripeness and get. Napas peak tourist season corresponds with the regions harvest season august. Reservations now being confirmed at the allnew four.
Create an experience to remember during grape crush season at napa valley hotel and suites. This is called crush, as in crushing the grapes, and there really is no better time to come to napa or sonoma than when the grapes are being harvested. The premier destination for food and fun in napa valley, crush lounge offers cocktails, sports entertainment and six lanes of bowling all in one place. For example, many growers compare the date of bloom to. A celebration of the fall harvest season, crush is a feast of colors and flavors that surround you from the reds and oranges of the leaves changing color to the ripe grapes hankering to be picked. Theres more to the napa valley wine scene than just sipping local blends. Between special parties and celebrations, like handson grape stomping and winemaking and opportunities to see the fields in action, its a season you dont want to miss. Sep 01, 2011 a wine country weekend is almost always a good idea. Celebrate napa valley harvest and crush season with napa. Harvest season has winemakers in a rush to crush vintners. Preparations are already in the making for napa valley s most sensational event of the fall season v.
Late autumn is a wonderful time to visit napa, just as the crush season is coming to a close and winemakers celebrate the harvest and processing of their grapes, says general manager mehdi eftekari, noting that the resorts concierge teams can arrange winery visits and tasting tours in addition to events taking place at four seasons. Located approximately one hour north of san francisco, the worldrenowned wine and tourist destination is visited by millions of people every year is a charming place to get away from it all, relax, and have fun. As one of californias most beautiful and special regions, napa valley attracts visitors from all over the. October is an especially important month for the picking of delicious grapes for winemaking. Grape stomping takes a step away from the original way of wine making and uses bare feet to get the grape juices flowing instead of with using a press. However, for the sake of clarity or for napa valley newcomers or those attending their first crush season in napa crush season napa is a term loosely referring to entire harvesting season. Top 5 tips you need to experience harvest june 30, 2016 local wally.
This is the perfect time of year to visit youll be in napa during harvest season which means all of the wineries will be up and working on producing their wines. These napa valley wineries will let you crush freshly harvested. Tracking these key stages plays an important role in the planning of the season and harvest logistics. This month, amidst a monumental heat wave temperatures soaring emphatically and relentlessly into the 90s and 100s the air conditioning in my car went out. Getaway retreat treat your honey, top performers and vip clients to a winetasting event at one of napa valleys acclaimed wineries.
Wine crush season 3, episode 1 portland radio project. Join us for the harvest and crush in napa valley this august, september, and october during the peak time of year. If you hope to visit during harvest, why not go when your favorite wines are being made. That wildly contagious sense of excitement that is the crush in napa valley. Cool temperatures and long growing season result in a highquality crop. Harvest is around the corner and grape crushing is so fun, it should be on everyones bucket list. Napa, ca august 14, 2018 the 2018 napa valley harvest is underway throughout the region according to the napa valley grapegrowers, with sparkling wine and white varieties leading the way to the presses. Crush season napa is a lively season with much to offer throughout the harvest. Napa valley wineries, grape varieties, napa valley map, climate and terroir. Now that the grapes have been collected and tasted, its time to begin the process that will transform them into some of the finest wines in the world. Each year, at the end of summer, the napa valley harvest. Napa valley is heavily promoting september and october crush season with interactive experiences, wine tastings, banquets and new accommodations.
This is the best time to visit napa valley wine country if you seek a leisurely wine tasting experience and want to avoid premium hotel pricing. Check out our grape crush hotel packages for more information. Celebrating its 36th year in 2020, this spectacular soiree promises to be an unforgettable affair. Napa valley is considered an american viticultural area ava, an appellation afforded to winegrape growing regions distinguishable by geographic features. From early august through october, summer transitions to crisper temperatures, leaves turn to gem colors, and napa valley becomes a frenzy of grape harvesting. Valleys most sensational event of the fall season v. Napa valley 2018 harvest begins wine industry advisor. Be among the first to experience the allnew four seasons resort napa valley. Fall harvest grape crush is the height of wine season napa. Helena, ca prweb july 14, 2011 napa valley hotel harvest inn invites guests to enjoy wine country harvest and crush season and the spectacular 360 degree views of the napa valley with its view from the top package, an expertly balanced and blended threenight napa valley stay with breathtaking beauty. Grape crush is when napa vineyards display their autumn bouquets and invite the public to special fall barrel tastings and winery tours. October is prime harvest season, which runs typically from midaugust to early november. Wine harvest season takes place over 2 months each year because different grapes ripen at different rates.
Napa valley wine tours from sf harvest time and crust season. When the grapes are harvested from the vines, the cellar crew takes over. In addition, we have a second story which comes from a winemaker taking over some big shoes, but. More news from this years crush season in napa valley, sonoma county and other wine regions like mendocino, santa barbara and livermore. The crush challenge offers a number of incredible food and wine experiences. We look at the wineries, vineyards, people and workers behind the fall crush. The first comes from a daughter and mother operation rooted in tradition, adventure and good dirt. There are about 40,000 acres of vineyards in the napa valley, and all told, roughly,000 tons of grapes are harvested in the fall crush of napa valley s multibilliondollar wine industry. Crush in the napa valley signals the end of the annual grapegrowing season.
Each year from august through october, the napa valley comes alive with the excitement and rush of harvest. But the crush season lingers on, filling the entire valley with the pungent smells of crushed grapes and fermenting wine. Also known as harvest season, crush season is when winemakers decide that the grapes are ready to be picked after a fruitful growing season. Fall harvest grape crush is the height of wine season. The napa valley hotels beautiful setting in the heart of the napa valley offers guests an extraordinary connection to the land with eight acres of fragrant gardens, a backyard of ripening grapes and views of the mayacamas mountains. Chris loxton explains the wine production process in sonoma. Youll have to get to napa in august to enjoy the grapestomping party at peju province winery. Once the grapes are harvested and the temperatures are perfectly mild, the region becomes a haven for cozy getaways, hearty fare, and of course, the worlds most spectacular wine. This exciting time in napa begins in early august and continues through late octoberand its the most vibrant time to visit wine country. Its also a hollywood invention think of the classic i love lucy episode, if you like the idea of participating, v. How to experience wine harvest season in the napa valley. The region truly comes alive with the season s first crush as grapes for sparkling wines are plucked at peak ripeness, and wraps up in late october with grapes for reds. The primary grape varieties harvested for napa valley sparkling wines are. Napa valley, napa valley wine country, wine country.
Our two favorite times to visit napa valley are during the harvest season and over the holidays during yountvilles festival of lights. The actual picking of grapes happens between august and november in the northern hemisphere. Napa valley itself plays home to 16 subappellations the wine train passes through oak knoll, yountville, oakville, rutherford, and st. Experience crush hour with special menu and prices on. Fall in the napa valley, at least for me, is about the smell of grapes. Celebrate the passion of this season with napa valley, avalon cabernet sauvignon. Whether you want to experience the excitement of harvest or want to take a leisurely private tour of the valley s more popular estates, here is your go to guide for the best time to visit napa valley wine country. From early september through late october, wineries throughout napa valley and sonoma open their doors to everyone from wineloving novices to seasoned oenophiles who come from far and wide to crush grapes, drink wine, and sample some of california wine countrys best meals. In this episode, we uncork two unique wine stories. Oct 15, 2018 napa valley weather is mild and wineries are open year round, so the best time to visit napa valley depends mostly on the type of experience you want to enjoy.
Living in napa valley these past six months has brought with it an everchanging array of challenges and rewards. Harvest season, more commonly known as crush, begins in august and runs through october every year. Sep 20, 2010 experience beauty and stimulating aromas during the midseptember napa valley grape crush. All new four seasons resort opening in napa valley. This is an important time of the year for winegrowers that depend on wine production, such as those in napa valley. Theres no way of knowing until well into next years growing season when harvest will begin and end, but early october should be well within prime crush.
February brought heavy rain to temecula valley and sonoma countyparticularly the russian river valley areabut because the vines were in their winter dormancy, it did not affect the. Napa valley is undeniably beautiful yearround, but theres nothing quite like a visit during harvest season. Visiting the napa valley and its wineries is magical any time of year. If you would like to support the napa valley community during this challenging time, you can donate to the napa valley community disaster relief fund or enjoy a glass or bottle napa valley wine wherever you are. In this land of highcostoflivinginduced microbudgets i found myself faced with the choice of either cocooning myself. The crush starts with grapes for sparkling wines, while lateharvest varietals linger longer on the vine. Worldrenowned wine country destination napa valley is undeniably one of the most naturally beautiful destinations in the world. From mid fall to spring, visitors come to the napa valley to enjoy cabernet season.
211 518 1425 208 1177 123 1137 1278 919 1061 1038 771 435 1475 399 505 495 1654 794 1650 384 74 633 1054 378 1485 830 941 982 115 1029 1240 42 1032 820 573 993 1001 799 630 689 660 865