Touring California's Wine Country

California's vineyards yield over 90 percent of all wine produced in the United States, with the Napa Valley region of Northern California generating the vast majority of that staggering figure. The Golden State is well known for popular red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Merlot, while Chardonnay is the prominent white wine produced.

Just an hour north of San Francisco, California's Napa Valley is America's most celebrated wine-growing region. The plush, green, rolling hills produce wines that rank among the best in the world. Many types of varietal grapes are grown in this fertile region, supplying wine lovers with an assortment of reds and whites. It's no wonder, then, that the vineyards of Napa Valley are a very popular tourist destination.

Summer and autumn are the most popular touring seasons in Napa Valley and other California wineries. However, if you want to avoid the crowds and save money, a trip between November and April is highly recommended. A lot is happening during this time of the year, including library testing in the winter months and barrel testing events in the early spring. The annual Napa Valley Wine Festival takes place during the first week of November each year, and features wine from more than fifty exclusive Napa Valley wineries.

 

If you decide to travel to Napa Valley during the peak season, you can still avoid the heaviest crowds by planning your stay during the middle of the week. You'll find competitive tour prices Monday through Friday all year round, and you'll get to tour Napa's best wineries without the big crowds. Lastly, if you can only visit the Wine Country during a peak weekend, then arrange your tour for Sunday. Sundays are still very busy, but not quite as busy as Saturdays.

If you're not interested in driving yourself around, you still have plenty of options. Organized tours by bus, limousine, balloon or train are offered by a variety of companies. You can choose from packages that include an overnight stay in beautiful hotels that are located on the winery grounds, or day trips that often include a tour, wine tasting and lunch.

Although not as popular as Napa Valley, the Sonoma valley is home to over 200 wineries. You might focus your tour on a specific region such as the Russian River or Los Carneros. Sonoma tours also offer luxury accommodations, spas, fine dining and of course, wine tasting expeditions that will thrill your palate.

If you're traveling to California for any reason—visiting relatives, a business trip or a vacation—you're probably not too far from a great winery. Even busy Los Angeles and San Diego have many excellent wineries less than an hour's drive away. Plan ahead and let your travel agent know you'd be interested in booking a wine tasting tour.