Touring Tips
With nearly 2700 wineries in five major winegrowing regions stretching
the length of the state, visitors have an extraordinary number of
choices when planning their wine country adventures. Even for an
experienced wine lover, the most challenging aspect of touring
California’s wine regions can be deciding which wonderful locale to
visit. Each different region—and sub-region—has its own natural beauty,
personality and attractions.
Once in wine country, take in all that it has to offer: friendly folks, scenic roads, bicycling, hiking, hot air ballooning, art galleries, museums, boutiques and great food—wine’s best friend. From casual bistros to four-star restaurants headed by world-class chefs, California Wine Country is food country, too.
Try the following tips for a memorable California Wine Country experience!
Where to Go: Each of California’s five major winegrowing regions offers distinctive attractions and proximity to the state’s most popular cities and vacation destinations. Once you’ve decided on a region, narrow your search to the appellation(s) within it. You might choose a destination based on your favorite wine type. For instance, if you love Chardonnay, consider exploring the regions where wineries specialize in growing and producing Chardonnay varietal wines, such as the Carneros area of Napa and Sonoma valleys or the cool Monterey area on California’s Central Coast.
Choosing a Winery: Search the Internet—a virtual tour of a winery is an easy way to
explore your options before you go and can save time when choosing the best place to visit. Most wineries maintain helpful websites with specific contact and location information, as well as descriptions of tours and tastings available. Many also offer useful links to other visitor attractions and events. Check out the winery database on our site and find links to winery websites.
Harvest Events: The annual grape crush in the fall is a once-a-year opportunity not to be missed, and with winegrapes grown in 46 of the state’s 58 counties, you have plenty of options. It’s the perfect time to observe expert vineyard workers harvesting clusters, and then to follow those clusters from crush to fermentation. In California, harvest typically begins in late August and runs through October, coinciding with some of our most comfortable weather.
The slowing tourist season post-harvest is also an ideal time to visit one or more of California’s wine regions. Winery tasting room staffs are able to spend more time with individual guests, offering an in-depth experience to professionals, collectors and budding wine enthusiasts. Try to explore a wide variety of wineries—large, medium and smaller facilities—as well as those who make still (table) wine and sparkling wine. Be sure to include new producers as well as long time favorites; it’s a great way to experience the many fascinating aspects of winemaking and the unique personalities of the wineries themselves.
Check out our Event Calendar for listings of year round events. Many online calendars also feature local listings of harvest events.
Call Ahead: Although most California wineries are open to the public on a daily basis, a number of smaller wineries—especially in the state’s more rural areas—are open by appointment only. It’s doubly important to call ahead during the harvest season—you’ll get a head’s up about when grapes are expected to arrive at the winery and you’ll be able to secure a front-row seat for the crush.
Don’t Overbook: Start the day with a substantial breakfast, and be sure to peruse maps of the region before setting off. Understanding the distances between wineries will allow for a more leisurely pace so that you’ll be sure to get the best experience everywhere you stop. Many wineries are located in rural areas where roads can be narrow and congested, and during harvest you may find yourself behind slow-moving grape trucks. Just slow down, relax and take in the scenery!
Limiting the number of wineries you visit to three per day will help make your trip more enjoyable as well. You’ll have plenty of time to talk with the tasting room staff, learn more about the wines, take a winery tour, browse the gift shops and enjoy lunch between wineries.
Responsible Tasting: When you call ahead to schedule appointments, ask for distances, approximate driving times and recommended routes. If you’re taking a limousine or bus, make sure the winery allows large parties. Also make sure that the wineries you want to visit are open for public tasting, and check their business hours. Designate a driver when possible, and consider using spit buckets or sharing tastes, as appropriate.
Once in wine country, take in all that it has to offer: friendly folks, scenic roads, bicycling, hiking, hot air ballooning, art galleries, museums, boutiques and great food—wine’s best friend. From casual bistros to four-star restaurants headed by world-class chefs, California Wine Country is food country, too.
Try the following tips for a memorable California Wine Country experience!
Where to Go: Each of California’s five major winegrowing regions offers distinctive attractions and proximity to the state’s most popular cities and vacation destinations. Once you’ve decided on a region, narrow your search to the appellation(s) within it. You might choose a destination based on your favorite wine type. For instance, if you love Chardonnay, consider exploring the regions where wineries specialize in growing and producing Chardonnay varietal wines, such as the Carneros area of Napa and Sonoma valleys or the cool Monterey area on California’s Central Coast.
Choosing a Winery: Search the Internet—a virtual tour of a winery is an easy way to
explore your options before you go and can save time when choosing the best place to visit. Most wineries maintain helpful websites with specific contact and location information, as well as descriptions of tours and tastings available. Many also offer useful links to other visitor attractions and events. Check out the winery database on our site and find links to winery websites.
Harvest Events: The annual grape crush in the fall is a once-a-year opportunity not to be missed, and with winegrapes grown in 46 of the state’s 58 counties, you have plenty of options. It’s the perfect time to observe expert vineyard workers harvesting clusters, and then to follow those clusters from crush to fermentation. In California, harvest typically begins in late August and runs through October, coinciding with some of our most comfortable weather.
The slowing tourist season post-harvest is also an ideal time to visit one or more of California’s wine regions. Winery tasting room staffs are able to spend more time with individual guests, offering an in-depth experience to professionals, collectors and budding wine enthusiasts. Try to explore a wide variety of wineries—large, medium and smaller facilities—as well as those who make still (table) wine and sparkling wine. Be sure to include new producers as well as long time favorites; it’s a great way to experience the many fascinating aspects of winemaking and the unique personalities of the wineries themselves.
Check out our Event Calendar for listings of year round events. Many online calendars also feature local listings of harvest events.
Call Ahead: Although most California wineries are open to the public on a daily basis, a number of smaller wineries—especially in the state’s more rural areas—are open by appointment only. It’s doubly important to call ahead during the harvest season—you’ll get a head’s up about when grapes are expected to arrive at the winery and you’ll be able to secure a front-row seat for the crush.
Don’t Overbook: Start the day with a substantial breakfast, and be sure to peruse maps of the region before setting off. Understanding the distances between wineries will allow for a more leisurely pace so that you’ll be sure to get the best experience everywhere you stop. Many wineries are located in rural areas where roads can be narrow and congested, and during harvest you may find yourself behind slow-moving grape trucks. Just slow down, relax and take in the scenery!
Limiting the number of wineries you visit to three per day will help make your trip more enjoyable as well. You’ll have plenty of time to talk with the tasting room staff, learn more about the wines, take a winery tour, browse the gift shops and enjoy lunch between wineries.
Responsible Tasting: When you call ahead to schedule appointments, ask for distances, approximate driving times and recommended routes. If you’re taking a limousine or bus, make sure the winery allows large parties. Also make sure that the wineries you want to visit are open for public tasting, and check their business hours. Designate a driver when possible, and consider using spit buckets or sharing tastes, as appropriate.