Fall colors vineyards Archives - Wine Country Getaways

From now through November it is Fall color time in wine country

View Fall colors in wine country – Russian River area

It is Fall colors in wine country from now through November. This is a wonderful time to visit the wine country and catch Fall colors. Except for Thanksgiving weekend, wine country is much less crowded. One of our favorite roads to see Fall colors in wine country is the Alexander Valley Highway. This is Highway 128 that runs from Healdsburg and through the valley towards Santa Rosa. Along the Alexander Valley the traveler will have fantastic vineyard views of various Fall colors. Each variety of vineyard has its own timeline for changing color, dropping all its leaves and going dormant. The traveler will also have a good selection of wineries to visit and enjoy the views while wine tasting. We have two favorites along the Alexander Highway. The Hanna Winery sits up at the top of their hillside vineyards and has spectacular views of the Alexander Valley. We like the Hanna Cabernet Sauvignon and, if we have lunch at Hanna, a glass of their Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc goes quite nicely. Heading south from Hanna, just a short distance, is the Field Stone Winery. Things here are very laid back. This is one of our favorite picnic spots. It is very rustic but the vineyards stretching to the west are just so beautiful. I shot the photo above on the Alexander Valley Road. This road and the vineyards are owned by Harry Wetzel. Harry and his wife Maggie also own and operate the Alexander Valley Vineyard to the north on this same highway. This winery is also a nice stop.

We also like to drive the Westside Wine Route at this time of the year. The colors are just amazing, and there are even more choices for wine tasting than in the Alexander Valley. We like Mill Creek and Armida for the views and Hop Kiln Winery for the pond and picnic area.

Here is a close-up look at what you will see on one of our favorite wine country backroads.

By the end of this month, the 2009 grape harvest will be 99 percent over. The last grapes to be picked this month are usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The reports from vineyards managers, winemakers, and winery owners indicate that this will be an exceptional vintage. Nature has been kind to grapes this year. Last year frost and forest fires took their toll on many vineyards. This recent rainstorm should be okay for the thick-skinned Cabernet grapes that had not been harvested prior to the rain. This will certainly be a fun harvest to follow from now until the bottles hit the shelves.

One interesting note about this year’s harvest, some growers were not able to sell their grapes to their usual customers and many have been forced to let the grapes hang on the vine and drop on their own. The last thing wineries want in this economy is a grape glut. Word is that some wineries skipped this vintage altogether because they still had large wine inventories.