- Regions
- Wines
- Winemaking
- Winegrowing
Winegrowing by Season
Each season in California Wine Country brings new discoveries—the anticipation and renewal of spring, the warmth and richness of summer, the excitement and activity of the fall harvest and the quiet fulfillment of winter. Our weather is enviable all year round, and each season—even the dormant winter months—offers delightful and unique wine country experiences.
Discover the seasons in California—then choose your favorite time of year and plan a visit!
Summer in Wine Country
Summer in California Wine Country is pleasantly warm and clear, with cloudless blue skies and boundless sunshine. Warm daytime weather is moderated by cooler nights and comfortable sleeping temperatures. The verdant bright green of spring deepens to a rich kaleidoscope of green-gold—the color of maturing grapevines against the golden background of the hills and valleys of wine country—and it seems as if you can watch the vines grow, inch by inch, day by day.
By June, grape clusters have appeared on the vines and the foliage of the leafy canopy reaches toward the sky, sprawling out in all directions. Crews walk through the vineyards and tuck the vines up into the wire trellis system above to ensure that the main branches, or lateral shoots, keep growing upward. Tucking the vines up this way provides the fruit with optimum exposure to sunlight during the day and allows the cooler air in the late afternoon and evenings to circulate around the grape clusters. Sunlight gives the grapes the warmth they need to ripen, while cool evening temperatures maintain the grapes’ natural acidity, for wines of ideal balance. The small extraneous shoots, or suckers, that grow along the main branches of the grapevine, as well as any extra leaves, are also removed now. Eliminating this extra foliage allows a grapevine to send all of its energy into producing grapes instead of leaves and shoots. "Veraison", when grapes begin to soften and take on color, usually occurs around the first of August. Wineries recognize veraison as the signal to begin preparing for the coming harvest season, about one month to six weeks away.
Summer is a perfect time to experience the hospitality of California’s wine regions. Many of the state’s most popular visitor attractions, such as its beautiful coastline, beaches, parks and exciting cities, can be found near or within a short driving distance of many wineries. This time of year, the hectic work of winemaking has slowed to a crawl, and wineries offer chilly tours through barrel cellars—usually maintained at about 65 degrees—and pour refreshingly cool white wine selections in their tasting rooms.
Fall in Wine Country
In California Wine Country, the arrival of fall means that the long wait is over—harvest time is here! Days stay warm and golden with summertime temperatures, while nights may drop to around 40 and 50 degrees—great sleeping weather. Dark green, mature grapevine leaves have grown dusty and dry, and grape clusters hang heavy on the vines; the ripened grapes are bursting with flavor. Winemakers check and re-check sugar levels in the juice, anticipating just the right balance that will signal the start of picking.
Grapes are often harvested during the early morning hours, before the day heats up and causes sugar levels to rise in the fruit. No one should miss the chance to observe a vineyard crew rapidly moving through a vineyard—often as fast as an acre in under an hour. They expertly remove the ripest grape clusters with one swift cut, leaving behind the under-ripe or undeveloped fruit. The ripe clusters are collected into small bins below the vines and then emptied into a larger truck container for delivery to the winery.
At the winery, grapes immediately go into the crusher-destemmer machine, which squeezes them together. As their skins break, the grapes release a rich aroma—the heady mixture of ripe fruit and the fragrant wild yeast that occurs naturally on grape skins. Visitors to a winery crush pad may often be invited to taste these just-delivered grapes bursting with juice—a real treat! As the crushed grapes are conveyed into the winery, the activity becomes frenetic as cellar crews work to move the already-fermenting juice into tanks where the fermentation process can be controlled.
The annual crush is one of the best times to visit any of California’s wine regions. The larger summer crowds have begun to dwindle, and you’ll find yourself sharing the wine roads with slower moving grape trucks, or "gondolas", instead of cars. Wineries are eager to show off their production facilities and winemaking skills to visitors. In fact, most have developed special harvest programs to give visitors an up-close and intimate view of the fascinating art of winemaking.
Winter in Wine Country
As winter comes to California’s wine regions, the quick pace and hectic activity of the fall slows down. The wines rest in tanks and barrels, and winemakers take a deep breath—and, often, vacation—a much welcomed respite from the busy harvest. The rains return to refresh and replenish the long summer dry season, and the vines’ leaves display the fall colors of gold, orange and crimson. Although the air has turned chilly and cooler temperatures are the norm, the period of wet weather is usually brief and is followed by bright blue skies and a touch of winter sun.
From late November through much of February, the vines have lost their leaves and gone into dormancy. Winery cellars are quiet, and cellar crews focus on maintenance duties and preparing to bottle wines from previous vintages. In the vineyards, workers prune the previous year’s growth from grapevines.
Winter means that fewer people come to wine country. Tasting room staff and winery tour guides now have more time to talk about the wines they taste with visitors. Smaller groups touring through a winery’s cellars allow guides to take a more leisurely pace and to answer more questions. At smaller wineries, it’s not unusual to find the winemakers or owners, themselves, pouring wines and discussing the merits with interested guests.
The winter holidays are another good reason to visit during this time of year. Winery tasting rooms are festively decorated and gift shops are filled with perfect gift items for wine lovers! Many wineries host special holiday open houses, and may even offer special tastings of older vintages paired with complementary food selections. Try out wine country in winter—a quietly spectacular time to visit.
Check out our listings for wineries with visitors programs, and our Event Calendar for seasonal attractions.
Spring in Wine Country
Spring in California Wine Country is full of the promise of pleasures to come. By March, the rainy season has mostly tapered off in all but the highest elevations, and chances are you’ll find dry conditions and beautiful blue skies. The fresh air is fragrant with wildflowers, buds and blossoms. Mornings and evenings feel cool and crisp, while days warm up with pleasant temperatures and abundant sunshine.
It’s the time of year when grapevines begin to wake from their long winter slumber. Tiny green shoots and buds appear along the vine canes, while lush groundcover crops spread through the vineyard rows. In many areas, bright yellow mustard is still blooming alongside vines, casting a surreal technicolor glow over the landscape.
In early March, new buds burst open and push tiny green shoots into the mild spring sunlight, signaling budbreak. This is the exciting start of the annual grapegrowing season. Throughout March and April, wineries keep a close, watchful eye on thermostats stationed in vineyards, monitoring overnight and early morning temperatures. Temperatures can easily drop to below freezing at this time of year, damaging the tender new shoots.
During the day, vineyard crews perform skillful hand work, tying and training vines to the wire trellis systems stretched above the grapevine rows. As more of the curling vines and shoots appear along the grapevines’ woody canes, vineyard crews will remove extra shoots, leaves and other greenery to ensure that the remaining clusters receive sufficient sunlight and air. They’ll also plant new vines to replace any that have died or become diseased.
Spring is an especially lovely time to visit California Wine Country. The rolling hills have turned a vibrant green from the refreshing winter rains, and wildflowers carpet the valleys in a riot of dazzling color. Many wineries offer special programs and events to welcome the new growing season and to encourage people to visit before the summer tourist season launches into full swing.
Discover the seasons in California—then choose your favorite time of year and plan a visit!
Summer in Wine CountrySummer in California Wine Country is pleasantly warm and clear, with cloudless blue skies and boundless sunshine. Warm daytime weather is moderated by cooler nights and comfortable sleeping temperatures. The verdant bright green of spring deepens to a rich kaleidoscope of green-gold—the color of maturing grapevines against the golden background of the hills and valleys of wine country—and it seems as if you can watch the vines grow, inch by inch, day by day.
By June, grape clusters have appeared on the vines and the foliage of the leafy canopy reaches toward the sky, sprawling out in all directions. Crews walk through the vineyards and tuck the vines up into the wire trellis system above to ensure that the main branches, or lateral shoots, keep growing upward. Tucking the vines up this way provides the fruit with optimum exposure to sunlight during the day and allows the cooler air in the late afternoon and evenings to circulate around the grape clusters. Sunlight gives the grapes the warmth they need to ripen, while cool evening temperatures maintain the grapes’ natural acidity, for wines of ideal balance. The small extraneous shoots, or suckers, that grow along the main branches of the grapevine, as well as any extra leaves, are also removed now. Eliminating this extra foliage allows a grapevine to send all of its energy into producing grapes instead of leaves and shoots. "Veraison", when grapes begin to soften and take on color, usually occurs around the first of August. Wineries recognize veraison as the signal to begin preparing for the coming harvest season, about one month to six weeks away.
Summer is a perfect time to experience the hospitality of California’s wine regions. Many of the state’s most popular visitor attractions, such as its beautiful coastline, beaches, parks and exciting cities, can be found near or within a short driving distance of many wineries. This time of year, the hectic work of winemaking has slowed to a crawl, and wineries offer chilly tours through barrel cellars—usually maintained at about 65 degrees—and pour refreshingly cool white wine selections in their tasting rooms.
Fall in Wine CountryIn California Wine Country, the arrival of fall means that the long wait is over—harvest time is here! Days stay warm and golden with summertime temperatures, while nights may drop to around 40 and 50 degrees—great sleeping weather. Dark green, mature grapevine leaves have grown dusty and dry, and grape clusters hang heavy on the vines; the ripened grapes are bursting with flavor. Winemakers check and re-check sugar levels in the juice, anticipating just the right balance that will signal the start of picking.
Grapes are often harvested during the early morning hours, before the day heats up and causes sugar levels to rise in the fruit. No one should miss the chance to observe a vineyard crew rapidly moving through a vineyard—often as fast as an acre in under an hour. They expertly remove the ripest grape clusters with one swift cut, leaving behind the under-ripe or undeveloped fruit. The ripe clusters are collected into small bins below the vines and then emptied into a larger truck container for delivery to the winery.
At the winery, grapes immediately go into the crusher-destemmer machine, which squeezes them together. As their skins break, the grapes release a rich aroma—the heady mixture of ripe fruit and the fragrant wild yeast that occurs naturally on grape skins. Visitors to a winery crush pad may often be invited to taste these just-delivered grapes bursting with juice—a real treat! As the crushed grapes are conveyed into the winery, the activity becomes frenetic as cellar crews work to move the already-fermenting juice into tanks where the fermentation process can be controlled.
The annual crush is one of the best times to visit any of California’s wine regions. The larger summer crowds have begun to dwindle, and you’ll find yourself sharing the wine roads with slower moving grape trucks, or "gondolas", instead of cars. Wineries are eager to show off their production facilities and winemaking skills to visitors. In fact, most have developed special harvest programs to give visitors an up-close and intimate view of the fascinating art of winemaking.
Winter in Wine CountryAs winter comes to California’s wine regions, the quick pace and hectic activity of the fall slows down. The wines rest in tanks and barrels, and winemakers take a deep breath—and, often, vacation—a much welcomed respite from the busy harvest. The rains return to refresh and replenish the long summer dry season, and the vines’ leaves display the fall colors of gold, orange and crimson. Although the air has turned chilly and cooler temperatures are the norm, the period of wet weather is usually brief and is followed by bright blue skies and a touch of winter sun.
From late November through much of February, the vines have lost their leaves and gone into dormancy. Winery cellars are quiet, and cellar crews focus on maintenance duties and preparing to bottle wines from previous vintages. In the vineyards, workers prune the previous year’s growth from grapevines.
Winter means that fewer people come to wine country. Tasting room staff and winery tour guides now have more time to talk about the wines they taste with visitors. Smaller groups touring through a winery’s cellars allow guides to take a more leisurely pace and to answer more questions. At smaller wineries, it’s not unusual to find the winemakers or owners, themselves, pouring wines and discussing the merits with interested guests.
The winter holidays are another good reason to visit during this time of year. Winery tasting rooms are festively decorated and gift shops are filled with perfect gift items for wine lovers! Many wineries host special holiday open houses, and may even offer special tastings of older vintages paired with complementary food selections. Try out wine country in winter—a quietly spectacular time to visit.
Check out our listings for wineries with visitors programs, and our Event Calendar for seasonal attractions.
Spring in Wine CountrySpring in California Wine Country is full of the promise of pleasures to come. By March, the rainy season has mostly tapered off in all but the highest elevations, and chances are you’ll find dry conditions and beautiful blue skies. The fresh air is fragrant with wildflowers, buds and blossoms. Mornings and evenings feel cool and crisp, while days warm up with pleasant temperatures and abundant sunshine.
It’s the time of year when grapevines begin to wake from their long winter slumber. Tiny green shoots and buds appear along the vine canes, while lush groundcover crops spread through the vineyard rows. In many areas, bright yellow mustard is still blooming alongside vines, casting a surreal technicolor glow over the landscape.
In early March, new buds burst open and push tiny green shoots into the mild spring sunlight, signaling budbreak. This is the exciting start of the annual grapegrowing season. Throughout March and April, wineries keep a close, watchful eye on thermostats stationed in vineyards, monitoring overnight and early morning temperatures. Temperatures can easily drop to below freezing at this time of year, damaging the tender new shoots.
During the day, vineyard crews perform skillful hand work, tying and training vines to the wire trellis systems stretched above the grapevine rows. As more of the curling vines and shoots appear along the grapevines’ woody canes, vineyard crews will remove extra shoots, leaves and other greenery to ensure that the remaining clusters receive sufficient sunlight and air. They’ll also plant new vines to replace any that have died or become diseased.
Spring is an especially lovely time to visit California Wine Country. The rolling hills have turned a vibrant green from the refreshing winter rains, and wildflowers carpet the valleys in a riot of dazzling color. Many wineries offer special programs and events to welcome the new growing season and to encourage people to visit before the summer tourist season launches into full swing.