The wine country of Northern California benefits from mild Mediterranean weather and beautiful hilly landscapes. It lies within two hours of San Francisco, making it easy to reach, and it offers a host of outdoor activities, such as a bicycle riding and hot air ballooning. The biggest questions for your trip are how to avoid the crowds and will the weather cooperate. General Winter is the rainy season in wine country, with temperatures rarely rising past 60 degrees F and showers common; snowfall is extremely rare. The rain evaporates as spring turns to summer and temperatures can climb into the triple digits in July and August. The air tends to be very humid in areas near the shore, but dries up as you head inland to Napa and Sonoma. Fog appears in the mornings but often burns off by midday. Spring Tourist season begins in the spring as the crowds at California wineries begin to swell. Growth first appears on the vines and the vineyards have a lush, green look that intensifies as the year goes on.

Wild flowers bloom in the hills, and while the temperatures are fairly warm, they don’t reach the oppressive heights of summer. The spring is ideal for outdoor activities like biking and horseback riding, and for enjoying the various vintages of the region. Summer Tourists flock to the wine country in the summer and winery tours run more frequently. Sonoma County has a number of farms as well as wineries, and July and August feature local produce on sale in the area. The crowds turn out for summer events ranging from Fourth of July celebrations to local heritage festivals. Fall Fall is harvest season, which allows tourists to witness the process of pressing and bottling the wines. Crowds tend to be fairly large, but not quite as large as in summer. Temperatures cool off slightly, although Indian summers can still push the temperatures into the 90s. The leaves on the vineyards turn a brilliant yellow in the fall, and the evenings stay warm and pleasant. Winter Winter is the quietest season in the wine country, when the rains come and the tourists are in short supply.

The vineyards are bare as the vines go into hibernation, and outdoor activities are kept to a minimum. In February, the mustard flowers begin to bloom, which adds to the scenery, but overall, the landscape is less vibrant than during the rest of the year. The Best Time The best time to visit wine country depends on what you’re after. Spring offers a good combination of nice weather and outdoor activities, while summer visitors need to balance the landscapes and events with the large crowds. red wine brands of indiaFall is a good time for those with a serious interest in viticulture, while winter provides respite for people hoping to sample the wines and enjoy the local restaurants without great hordes of fellow visitors. where can i buy valenzano wine Suggest an Article Correctiontop wine shops chicago

The wine country is beautiful almost any time of year. It's quite slow from Jan 2 through most of March, with the exception of Valentine's Day and Columbus Day weekend, when the valley is packed to capacity. Jan 2 through March is a favorite time of year for many repeat visitors-- it's when we have the Mustard Festival, with vibrant wild mustard blossoms growing in rows between the bare grape vines.top selling wine brands in us This time of year is a "best kept secret" for many folks who come to the wine country every year for a visit-- things are slower, so they can linger at tasting rooms and learn more about each winery, restaurants have open tables, so they can enjoy their favorite spots, and both airfare and room rates are very low, meaning many people choose to stay here for a week instead of just a day or two. top 5 wine coolers

This is our favorite time of year, since we get a chance to visit with some of our guests a bit more (since they stay longer). Things get more and more busy from April through August, to the point where most of our weekends are booked long in advance (e.g., hotels and B&Bs start to get calls in November for reserving rooms the following September, more than a year in advance!). box of wine puts me right outWeather is wonderful, although we do still get rainshowers in April and May (and perhaps one in June). June through Oct is warm/hot and sunny, every day, with deliciously cool evenings (55-60º :) Sept and Oct. is our busiest time of year, when we harvest all of the wine grapes (also called "Crush"). Wineries are abuzz with activity, bringing in the grapes, making the wine, and getting the wine processed for storage into tanks or barrels. So there is lots and lots to see. Since it's so busy during Sept and Oct, it's the one time all year that you'll have to reserve restaurants weeks in advance, and book wine tours several days or weeks ahead, if you want to go to some of the popular spots.

Wherever you stay, the innkeepers or concierge can really help, as they will book all of these hard-to-get-into spots for you ahead of time, making your stay here more enjoyable, and less frustrating (these services are included free with the price of your stay). Fall (late Oct through Thanksgiving) the grape vines look beautiful as the leaves change color (Napa is one of the only places in Northern California where people go for fall color tours). Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, fewer people visit as everyone prepares for the holidays. This is a great time to come if you want reduced airfare, lower room rates, and like fall weather (typically in the 50s and 60s, with occasional showers). From room rates to airfare, this time is by far the best "deal" all year, especially if you like to chat w/tasting room staff-- since there are virtually NO LINES midweek. The week between Christmas and New Years is very busy here-- and room rates reflect this. Also, wineries are closed on Christmas and New Years day, so there's less to do (unless you stay someplace with a big featherbed and a cozy fireplace :o)