Families that wine-down together, stay together, and California has a month-load of events and attractions to work around. Celebrating its 14th year as California Wine Month, September also happens to be a great time to travel to the West Coast with the family. For those that live in the Golden State, trek to the wine region nearest you and make the most of your late-summer family vacation.
Wine Month in California brings out the best of each individual region. Expect festivals and celebrations including everything from culinary tastings, live music and food pairings to grape stomping, vineyard hiking and regional festivities.
While Wine Month is only 14 years old, California has a centuries-old history in winegrowing. The state’s nearly 5,000 vitners and 250 years of history in winegrowing and production, it’s no wonder the state became the world’s fourth-largest wine producer — accounting for more than 80 percent of the nation’s winegrowing supply.
With all this said, it’s clearly the perfect setting for a month of wine celebration, and the 24 million annual Wine Month attendees would agree.
Peruse the full list of events and attractions all over California here, or check out our list of dates of must-see locales across the state.
Signs in wine country. Photo: Americanspirit | Dreamstime.com
Begin in with VINO-Palooza Wine & Music Festival Sept. 8 at Marina Del Rey Hotel, Los Angeles. Don’t miss the Temecula Valley CRUSH Sept. 29 at Monte De Oro Winery, Temecula.
Over at the Inland Valley wineries, Lodi Grape Festival is held Sept. 13–16, at the Lodi Event Center and the Madera Wine Trail’s California Wine Month Celebration occurs Sept. 21 at the Papagni Winery in Madera.
The Sierra Foothills boast epic beauty and a winery lineup to match with Find the Gold in Calaveras Wine Country: A Treasure Hunt, occurring all month at participating wineries. Head to Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival at Northstar Resort, Truckee Sept. 7 – 9, or try the WINEderlust River Wine Festival Sept. 8 at Henningsen Lotus Park on the American River, El Dorado County. Sample the Sierra Farm-to-Fork Festival at Bijou Community Park, Lake Tahoe or head to Barbera Festival in Terra d’Oro Wines, Amador County, both Sept. 15.
Along the North Coast, Winesong Weekend throughout Mendocino County is Sept. 7–8.
Also on Sept. 8, enjoy Calistoga Wine Experience at Pioneer Park in Calistoga, Napa Valley, or Zinfandel: Stories from Napa Valley Sept. 22, at the Culinary Institute of America, Copia, Napa.
Head to the Annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival Sept. 8–9, in Capitola Village in Santa Cruz County. The Fall Passport Month extends Sept. 8–30 throughout the Santa Clara Valley wineries of Santa Clara Valley while Eat Drink Los Gatos occurs Sept. 22, in the downtown district along North Santa Cruz Avenue.
Over in Santa Barbara, check out Taste of the Town Santa Barbara Sept. 9, in Riviera Park Gardens; or Sip & Saunter Sept. 28 in San Luis Obispo.
Arm yourselves with the full map and vineyard directory here before heading to the Golden State for wine, food and festivities.
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