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Catch Napa Valley Harvest 2017

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harvest cabernet

On York Lane in St. Helena, harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon

Get ready to catch the Napa Valley Harvest 2017

The Napa Valley harvest 2017 is underway, and now is the time for every wine country buff to plan to watch all the activities that take place during the harvest. The Napa Valley is one of the best spots for viewing the “crush” because of the number of vineyards and wineries in such a concentrated area. If you spend a few days in the Napa Valley from mid-September through October, you are likely to see all the harvest activities: the grape picking, the sorting, the crushing and fermentation. It is the Napa Valley at its best for the tourist. Start making your plans now to watch the most exciting show in the world of wine.

The Napa Valley harvest 2017 has already started as of late July with Mumm Napa picking Pinot Noir grapes for its sparkling wine. White wine grapes are next to be harvested. The last grapes are usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, either in late September or in October. The weather plays a big part. Cool weather delays the harvest, hot weather the opposite.

Napa Valley Harvest 2017 Travel Tips

We have some tips for getting the most out of harvest in the Napa Valley. One of the most educational activities you can do is to take a tour. Check the Napa Valley Vintners Website to search for wineries that have complete winery tours.

If you want to watch the actual harvesting of the grapes, you’ll need to get up just before sunrise. Picking of the grapes is done early before the heat of the day. Drive the Valley and look for signs of the harvest. Look for several cars parked on the side of the road, half-ton bins ready to be filled, or small harvest baskets at the ready, as well as tractor trucks. More than likely harvest will be taking place in deep in the vineyards. Bring your camera or smartphone and walk into the vineyards; when you spot the workers, ask the foreman if it is okay to take pictures.

During the day, stop in at any tasting room and ask about the crush activities. The staff usually knows what harvest activities are taking place at their winery and what is in store for the following couple of days. Our strategy is to stop at a winery, initially bypass the tasting room and walk to the where the crush facilities are located to see what activities are taking place. No one really seems to care that you are there as long as you stand back far enough not to get in the way. Everyone is working so intensely that you will hardly be noticed.

This is a favorite time for tourists, so plan ahead. If you want to spend any length of time, be sure to book your accommodations early. But often, just going up for the day will be fun enough. Enjoy and don’t forget to pack that camera.

Check our Napa Valley Wine Country Planning Guide for complete details on where to stay, dine, and other fun activities.

First Time to Napa Valley: Must Do Activities

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Travel tips Napa Valley

First time to Napa: Travel tips Napa Valley

First Time to Napa Valley: Must Do Activities

We often get emails from first-time travelers to the Napa Valley asking advice for where to go or what “must activities” to include in their trip. Here is our list of what we think first-time visitors to the Napa Valley should consider doing. These activities don’t just apply to the first timer, anytime you visit the Napa Valley, these ideas should be considered.

Take a winery tour - Hendry Barrel Room

First time to Napa Valley: Take a winery tour – Hendry Barrel Room

 

Take a Winery Tour
Take a tour that covers the entire process of winemaking from the vineyard to the finished product. Here are two that are among the best winery tours in the Valley. You will need to call ahead to make an appointment. At Hendry Wines, owner and winemaker extraordinaire, George Hendry, will take you on a two-hour tour and tasting. We think this is the best tour of any in the Napa Valley. Another great tour is at Frog’s Leap Winery. This one will last about an hour. Don’t forget to show your appreciation by buying at least a few bottles of wine. When you open one of these wines at home, it will bring back memories of your trip and the wine will taste that much better. Wine always tastes better when there is a story behind it.

vineyard picnci

First time to Napa Valley: The vineyard picnic

 

Picnic in the Vineyards
This is one of our favorite activities, so much so that the weather has to be pretty bad to prevent us from picnicking. Either prepare a deli lunch or buy one at one of the many great delis in the Valley. Here are four wineries where you can sit and view vineyards: Clos du Val, Robert Sinskey, August Briggs, and Folie a Deux. See the Trip Planner for the exact location.

Beringer Brothers

First time to Napa Valley: Visit one Napa Valley’s orginal wineries

 

Visit One of Napa Valley’s Older Wineries
Before 1970 there were fewer than 30 wineries to visit. Today, there are over 300. Take a step back in time and visit Beringer, Charles Krug, Inglenook, or Schramsberg (appointment).

Casa Nuestra

First time to Napa Valley: Casa Nuestra – a very cozy family winery

Visit a Small Family-Run Winery
There is nothing like meeting the owner and winemaker of a small winery. They are always very passionate about their work and their wines. Here are a few small family-run wineries: Tres Sabores , Casa Nuestra, Smith-Madrone, and Elyse. It is always fun to visit a large corporate-owned winery immediately afterward to get a real appreciation of the small family-run winery. See our list of corporate wineries.

Greystone CIA Center

Greystone CIA Center

Visit the Culinary Institute of America
The CIA is housed in the Christian Brothers Winery stone building constructed in 1888. Drop by and visit the store, check out the displays of old winemaking equipment and barrels. If you have time consider lunch at the Wine Spectator Restaurant. The view is very beautiful.

about wine country getaways

Joe and Janelle in St. Helena, September 2015. St Clement winery on the hill.

 

Bring Your Camera — Take Photos
What’s a trip to the Napa Valley without photos? Take your digital camera or Smart Phone and take many shots of every place you go on the trip.

Hire a Driver
Rumor has it that various police agencies are beginning to increase patrols on wine tasting room exits. If you hire a driver, have your plan ready and hand it to the driver. There are several independent limo drivers who do a great job.


Check the Winery Finder/Trip Planner for sorting through wineries and mapping your trip.

Where to stay in the Napa Valley

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Napa Valley Lodging, best lodging in the Napa Valley

Napa Valley Lodge in Yountville

What a dilemma it is to find the proper lodging for anyone traveling to the Napa Valley for a first-time vacation. The rates in 2017 are as high as they have ever been. More travelers than ever are spending time in the Napa Valley, so it is tougher to find lodging. For weekends, you must book for a two-night minimum.

Sure, you can check Trip Advisor and the like for some recommendations, but you cannot always rely on those for sound advice. We have been traveling to the Napa Valley for 50 years. I think we have stayed in just about every style of lodging from the town of Napa to the north end of the Valley in Calistoga. We have stayed in budget lodging, excellent lodging, B&B’s, and we have even rented vacation homes. Take a look at our list of recommended Napa Valley lodging for each Napa Valley town, and you’re sure to find something that fits your needs. If we have something listed, we have either stayed there or taken a quick inspection of the place.

Lodging tips for the Napa Valley

 

  • We always like to stay within walking distance of fine restaurants and shopping. We like to enjoy our wine with dinner, so we either walk or take a cab. We don’t drink and drive. The centers of the towns of Napa, Yountville, and Calistoga are giving the traveler many choices for lodging within a short distance of many restaurants.
  • Sometimes it is more fun to make your lunch the main meal of the day. If you do that, then you can pack some appetizers for your room for an evening wine hour. Many of the hotels and B&B’s have a wine hour and serve appetizers. Some, like the Stevenson Inn in Calistoga, have tables and chairs set up outdoors for guests to use. Always check the lodging website for package deals. These deals include spas, golf, complimentary tasting room coupons, and many other perks.
  • Traveling during the week is always less expensive.
  • We don’t spend much time in our hotel rooms, so for that reason, we are not interested in all the elaborate amenities at the very top-of-the-line and expensive hotels. We just want something convenient, clean and comfortable. The money we save, we spend on wine and restaurant dining.
  • We prefer not to have a breakfast package included. We like exploring nearby coffee shops and breakfast spots. This is where all the locals hang out, and we would rather feast with the locals than having breakfast at our hotel.
  • What are your travel tips?

Important Resource pages:

Plan Now for Thanksgiving Weekend in the Napa Valley

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napa valley thanksgiving

Trinchero in the Napa Valley – Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving Weekend in the Napa Valley

One of the busiest weekends the entire year in the Napa Valley is Thanksgiving weekend. Family and friends visiting on Thanksgiving are likely to be staying through the weekend. One of the many things to do in the San Francisco Bay Area is to take family and friends to visit the Napa Valley wine country. Because of the popularity of this time of the year, it is best that you begin making your plans now. You want to be sure to book your lodging and make dinner reservations at one of your favorite restaurants.

Another nice option is a well-planned day trip. Head out early in the day and book a good restaurant for lunch. Better yet, if the weather is terrific, prepare a lavish and gourmet picnic lunch. Sitting in the fall- colored vineyards and enjoying lunch with a glass of chilled white wine has to make a lasting impression on your guests. Here is a list of Napa Valley wineries with picnic facilities.

The more planning you put into this trip the more likely your guests will have a memorable experience. You can watch our video on Napa Valley Travel Tips to get a good start. If your guests are wine newbies, a good tour on winemaking is in order. Book a tour at a winery where they have scheduled tours limited to a small number of people. Rubicon or Schramsberg would fit that bill but there are many others.

Try to visit some of the smaller wineries that are open only by appointment and are off the beaten path. If you hit the more popular wineries, you are likely to have a Disneyland experience and have to line up at the tasting room bar and wait your turn to taste. We have a great list of hidden wineries that you can view and select one or two to visit. Be prepared for all types of weather conditions. One day can be balmy and beautiful at 70 degrees and the next day could be cold and wet.

Be safe if you are the driver and use a spit cup when you taste or just bring your water bottle and enjoy the pure beauty of this wonderful wine country. If you stay in Calistoga, Yountville, or Napa you don’t really need a car for dinner. There are many great restaurants within easy walking distance from lodging.

Varietal theme wine tasting hunt

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cabernet sauvignon wine country

Cabernet Sauvignon is the specialty at the Silver Oak Winery in Oakville – Napa Valley

Do you like a certain wine varietal of red or white wine that is your favorite? Why not base your wine country travels on your preferred wine grape.  Here is a list of the top wine varietals  and where to find these wines in wine country. Hit the tasting rooms that specialize in these varietals. Collect your favorite wines from the tasting room visits for a blind wine tasting. Invite your friends over for a wine tasting party and see which wine is everyone’s favorite.

These are our personal favorite wine regions for each of these popular wine varietals. Each of these wines can be found in other wine regions of California. One can easily make a case for one wine region producing the best for each of these wine types. Tell us in the comment section your favorite wine varietal and the best wine region or AVA that makes this wine.

As the days roll along, we plan to do a post on each of these wine varietals and offer some advice on which wineries to visit and why. Stay tuned.

Van-based Wine Tours vs Limos

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This is a guest post by H. Bruce Smith who runs Dry Creek Valley Wine Tours. Bruce suggested that I did not have enough consumer information on WineCountryGetaways.com about the Van-based wine tours vs Limos. Upon review I agreed with Bruce and asked him to provide us with a comparison.

van-tours vs limos

Van tours vs limos.  Who has the best for the wine country traveler?

There are many benefits to booking a wine tour with a van-based service. While there are many sizes of vans, the smaller (8-15 passengers) are more likely to be of a personalized experience. Most tour companies of this size are either operated by the owner or knowledgeable staff to perform the tour.

The key word here is “knowledgeable.” Often limo drivers know little or nothing about wine, while van drivers usually are well versed, not only in wine but the region itself. You should choose an experienced tour company if you want to get a better understanding of the wines of a particular wine region.

Some van touring companies go one step further and offer wine tasting tips in order for their clients to better enjoy the tasting experience. While a limo driver may simply wait at the car, a van driver often accompanies the tasters into the winery. They often will introduce you to the winery staff, and if you’re lucky the winemakers themselves.

Much of the fun of wine touring is enjoying the vineyards in a beautiful country setting. Vans are built for this purpose. With large tinted windows and an elevated seat height, you can take in the wine country surroundings. This is in comparison to the low riding limos with small dark windows.

Finally, van-based tour companies are likely to offer complete packages. This can cover everything including a full lunch and all tasting fees. Your one cost for the tour can cover all expenseses, save any gratuity you deem appropriate and, of course, any wine you buy.

More information on hiring a touring company

Santa Barbara Fisherwoman Stephanie Mutz

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At the recent Wine Bloggers Conference in the Santa Barbara Wine Country, a small group of bloggers enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Bridlewood Estate Winery in the Santa Ynez AVA.  The entrance to the winery is impressive, with its Spanish Mission style of architecture.  Our Apple Basket lunch of local sandwiches and salads was served overlooking Bridlewood Lake and was complemented by delicious Bridlewood wines.

Bridlewood winery

Bell Tower at Bridlewood Estate Winery in Santa Barbara wine country

Following the lunch, we had a very informative seminar in the Bridlewood cellar.  Rather than the usual panel of winery owners and winemakers, this panel included:

  • Richard Martin (Moderator), editorial director of Food Republic
  • Mark Williams, Winemaker for Bridlewood Estate Winery
  • Jeff Olsson, chef and proprietor of New West Catering and Industrial Eats Restaurant
  • Jake O’Francis, Pig farmer
  • Christopher and Johanna Finley, farmers for Finley Organic Farms
  • Stephanie Mutz, Santa Barbara Fisherwoman
fisher woman stpehanie

Photo of Stephanie Mutz by Fran Collin, francollin.com

Most interesting to me was the inclusion of Stephanie, a sea urchin fisherwoman. As Stephanie’s website states, she’s been fishing in the Santa Barbara area for 7 years and strives to make fresh, sustainable seafood available to the local population.

Stephanie got her undergraduate degree at UC Santa Barbara and then went on to Graduate School in Australia.  Her goal at the time was to become a Community College professor in her field of Marine Biology. While she was writing her Graduate School dissertation, she worked on urchin boats.  After a part-time teaching job ended, she decided to concentrate on fishing full time.

Being that most of the people Stephanie fishes with are male, she feels fortunate that they are accepting of her and very helpful when necessary. She usually goes out on her boat alone, unless the weather is bad or she needs extra help getting what she needs for the market.  In some cases, she joins other fishermen on their boats for fishing or diving.  Stephanie fishes for sea urchins and snails and regularly delivers her catch to local chefs when the weather and the catch are good. There seems to be a fad for sea urchin delicacies in Southern California and that demand is keeping Stephanie very busy these days. She also works closely with Jeff Olsson and his Industrial Eats Restaurant.  Stephanie does not always know what her daily catch will be and often she will bring Jeff in something different than he asked for.  She praises Jeff for being adaptable and creative in making the best of Stephanie’s haul.

After a day at sea, Stephanie unwinds by sitting in her meadow at home with a glass of wine to recap the day with her boyfriend, also a fisherman.  They discuss ways to become more efficient and productive at doing what they love to do.  She does her best to promote what the industry is all about to the entire community. She thinks its important to encourage people to have a balanced lifestyle, which includes eating local foods.

For recipes and information on how to find Stephanie’s catch, consult her website:  seastephaniefish.com

sea urchin delicacies

Appetizers prepared by Chef Jeff Olsson. On the right is sea urchin on avocado

Navigating the Napa Valley Wine Route

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First-time visitors to the Napa Valley are often bewildered or overwhelmed. When should we go, where should we stay and dine, and most often which wineries are the best ones to visit? Let’s tackle these dilemmas one at a time.

Napa Valley Wine Route Planning

Navigating the Napa Valley Wine Route

Navigating the Napa Valley Wine Route

When should you visit the Napa Valley?

In my book, anytime is a good time to visit the Napa Valley. No matter what time of the year, the Napa Valley has something special to offer the wine country traveler. In winter it is the mustard, the cover crops, and the bare rows of vines that delight. Spring brings bud break and wildflowers. Summer brings the warm weather and full growth to the vines. Fall means harvest of the grapes followed by the fantastic autumn colors in the vineyards. Yes indeed, any time of the year in the Napa Valley is a good time to visit.

image of calistoga

Lincoln Avenue in Calistoga

Where should you stay and dine?

The main towns for lodging are Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga. We like each town; they all offer something different in lodging and dining. We recommend you lodge within walking distance of dining. When you can walk to restaurants there are no worries about drinking and driving. In Calistoga, there is a free shuttle that runs most of the year. It will bring visitors to restaurants, wineries, and shopping and then pick you up when you are done. There are three cab companies in the Napa Valley, so taking a cab is a great option if you cannot walk to a restaurant. Yountville has the most-noted restaurant scene with five Michelin star restaurants, all within a few blocks of one another. Check our list of recommended restaurants for Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga.

image of bottega

One of Yountville’s many fine restaurants

Which are the best wineries to visit?

We recommend that visitors to the Napa Valley Wine Trails visit between 3 to 5 wineries in one full day. More than that and you will miss something and mostly likely imbibe too much of the good life. There are over 400 wineries to visit in the Napa Valley and, if you are visiting the max of ten wineries in a two-day excursion, how does one seriously decide on which of these 400 wineries are the most enjoyable to visit?

image of clos pegase

Clos Pegase

You can visit the best wineries in two different ways. One way is to follow one of our ready-made wine trails. Or you can mix-or-match the wineries within our Napa Valley wine trails. A second way is to head over to our Winery Finder and search for tasting rooms and wineries according to your likes and dislikes. The winery finder will enable you to select the best wineries to visit by various criteria. If you want boutique wineries that are family owned and have a picnic area, the winery finder narrows down the choices for you. It is a very handy tool for the first-time visitor or ones who visit the Napa Valley every few years.

Lastly we encourage you to watch this informative short video on Napa Valley Travel Tips.

Charter Oak Winery – something different in St. Helena

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There are said to be over 400 “brick and mortar” wineries in the Napa Valley. The typical Napa Valley winery has a lavish tasting room, along with merchandise for sale. It can almost be said, once you have seen a few tasting rooms in the Napa Valley, you have seen them all. We are always on the lookout when we travel to the Napa Valley for something much different than the normal tasting room experience. We certainly found that at the Charter Oak Winery in St. Helena. Proprietors Robert and Layla Fanucci have an interesting combination of skills. In the tasting room in an old Victorian bungalow in St. Helena, Robert showcases his wines while Layla creates a unique style of painting on canvas.

Charter Oak tasting room and art gallery

Charter Oak tasting room and art gallery

Robert learned how to appreciate and make wine from his grandfather, Guido Ragghianti. When his grandfather died in 1986, Robert inherited the home and all the winemaking equipment, including a 100-year-old basket press. That press is still used today along with many old fashioned and artisan winemaking techniques, the same that Robert learned from his grandfather. In the Charter Oak wines, natural yeast is always used and the wines are unfiltered and unfined. Most of the grapes are sourced from the Napa Valley and some from the famous Louis Martini Monte Rosso Vineyards. Robert’s grandfather always made between 400 and 600 cases of wine per year, and today 600 to 800 cases are made at the Charter Oak Winery.

basket press charter oak

Basket press used today in making Charter Oak wines

The tasting consists of four to five wines and a tour of the small and cozy winemaking facility. Since this is also Layla’s art studio, you also get a tour and look at her latest works of art. A tour and tasting is $20 per person, by appointment only.

The wines are all excellent and very well made, balanced with complex flavors. These wines are big and bold. Those who like a lighter style wine may not enjoy these wines, but those who love a full-flavored wine will thoroughly enjoy these. The Old World Field Blend was our favorite and priced at $58 a bottle.

Both Bob and Layla are graduates of San Francisco State University. Robert is an attorney and Layla taught music for years until her career took an unexpected turn. While searching for an original painting for her living room, she gave up looking and decided to paint one herself. Her friends who saw it were very impressed and encouraged her to paint more. She decided to quit teaching and paint full time. Earlier this year Layla and her art were featured on the cover of our alumni magazine. As fellow SFSU Grads, the article peaked our interest. And as you can see in the photo, her internationally renowned artwork is something that is quite different. The daughter of an architect, Layla paints layers of famous cities over one another.

Layla's artwork

Layla’s artwork

Layla’s beautiful book, “Layla Fanucci: City of Dreams Unabridged” by Valerie Gladstone, is available at the Winery and online.

There are several wineries in the Valley that do combine wine and art, but this winery is quite different from any others that we have visited.

Napa Valley Late August

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We are spending the last week of August in the beautiful Napa Valley. The vines are looking spectacular throughout the Valley from Napa all the way to Calistoga. We are renting a house with family in the Oak Knoll AVA. Five acres of Cabernet Sauvignon surround the house. The owner sells these grapes to a winery he would not name. He says it is the last year of the contract. From my knowledge, Cabernet Sauvignon does not do well in the Oak Knoll area. Too much of a loamy soil along with clay. Perhaps I am wrong on this, but rarely do I see a bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet listed as Oak Knoll.

The temperatures are in the low 80’s, but in the afternoon the winds kick in off San Pablo Bay. It’s nature’s way of cooling down the vines. In the late evening the temps drop into the 50’s. This is another factor in what makes the Napa Valley a great place for making wine.

Luna Vineyards

On our first day here we visited the nearby Luna Vineyards. It is one of the first wineries you come to as you head north on the Silverado Trail. The tasting fee is $15 for four wines. I guess by today’s standards that is not too much for a tasting fee in the Napa Valley. Tasting fees continue to increase here, but by all accounts visitors seem willing to cough up the dollars needed to taste in the Napa Valley. We enjoyed a quick visit at Luna. The view from their tower is spectacular and should not be missed if you visit. The best wine at Luna was the least expensive, the Pinot Grigio. It is delicious and priced at $18 a bottle. Luna also has a very nice picnic area but it must be reserved. Call ahead and enjoy a lunch and tasting at Luna.

View from the Luna tower

View from the Luna tower

Monticello Vineyards

We stopped here with our deli lunch and since no wine club members were using the picnic facilities we were able to enjoy our lunch at one of the large picnic tables. The best wine here was the Sauvignon Blanc, but at $30 a pop we thought it was way too pricey. By the way, you can purchase wine by the glass here. I will skip this winery next time around. I cannot give you a specific reason why; it was just a general feeling that something here was off kilter.

Monticello Vineyards

Monticello Vineyards

Mystery Winery

Sorry, but I cannot mention the name of this winery. Why? Because the owner does not have a license to sell wine or take in visitors at his property. Word of mouth is what brings visitors to his home, mostly by limousine companies and through family and friend references. The owner lives on the property and sells most of his grapes. Syrah is his best grape. He makes about 1000 cases of wine per year. The best wine by far was the Rosé Syrah. The owner told us he is not the only one in this type of under-the-radar operation. He told us that there are a few others who operate as he does.

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