California Wine Tours

California Wine

California wine is well known throughout the world, and this state is home to many first class wineries. California itself is a beautiful place and boasts over 200 sunny days a year making for a great growing season and an ideal climate for wineries.

While European wine is steeped in history, California wine is steeped in sunshine and every bit as appealing. If you are planning a trip to California, visiting some wineries is a great way to spend a day. Here you can see just how they make wine as well as take part in wine tasting of the finest blends.

California wine country offers yearly festivals as well as processing and harvesting events so if you time your visit right you can get into the full swing of the wine business.

Here’s some tips that will help make sure your California Winery visit is a huge success:

1. Planning. Planning ahead is key to a successful trip. Decide which geographical area you want to visit - there are many in California and you will have to narrow it down. Since most areas are near each other, you can visit a few places with one trip. Most wineries are next to each other and near urban settings so just pick a region that looks good to you and make a map of the areas you want to visit.

If you don’t know where to start, try visiting web sites, winery organizations or trade bureaus for a list of California wineries and don’t forget to look for any special events that might be running during your visit.

2. Make reservations. In some wineries you need an appointment for wine tasting, so it’s a good idea to call ahead of time and find out when is a good time to visit. You also want to make your travel plans for California and find accommodations before hand since peak wine season is busy and you want to be sure you won‘t be left out. Try to only schedule in 3 wineries each day as you will want to experience everything at each winery. Don‘t forget that the travel itself can take some time so don‘t squeeze too much into one day as you may end up not being able to spend as much time doing the things that appeal to you. Don‘t forget to schedule adequate time for touring the wineries as well as any time you might want to spend at special events.

3. Bone up beforehand. It’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about the wineries you want to visit before hand. This way you’ll be able to think up questions before you go and know exactly where you want to visit. A designated driver that knows the California area can be a great help. Also, don’t forget to think about all the things that go with wine tasting!

Some wineries in California are large while others are small. In some you may find that farmers harvest the grapes by hand while others are done manually. After the grapes are picked, they are brought to a big tank where they are mashed into liquid. You will find on your tour that the length this liquid is stored determines the type of wine that it will be used for.

When you are tasting wine, you will probably be able to taste the specialty wine of each winery. You may be able to taste a difference between wine that is fermented in oak wood barrels or that which is fermented in metal tanks. Either way, it will take at least two weeks for the ingredients to combine.

Whether you are touring a California winery that is large or one that is small, you can see this process first hand. All wineries have the necessary resources and equipment to be able to produce a high quality wine. To get your tour of California Wine Country, you can make reservations with a travel agent or if you have a large party, you may be able to schedule an event with the winery. Most wineries have recreational areas with amenities which the whole family can gather together and enjoy.