Fall brings harvest, and in the Bay Area, harvest means just one thing. Grapes. Grape harvest events are everywhere throughout this region, including the Sonoma and Napa areas, as well as Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara wine locales. Many events involve crushing the grapes while others include art and food because…really…doesn’t art, food and wine all belong together? Try epicurean delights, get professional wine pairing advice and pick up a few wine phrases like “on the nose” or “tobacco and leather finish.” Find out what the difference between a zinfandel and a cabernet is and take the opportunity to know why certain wines are paired with certain foods. Follow the list below to find an event in your area or branch out a little and turn it into a weekend event and stay at any one of the numerous bed and breakfast inns that dot the wine country map.
· At the Dry Creek Kitchen at the Hotel Healdsburg in downtown Healdsburg experience a six course meal paired with Williamson wines. These dinners fill up fast so you must reserve a spot. The all-inclusive meal costs $150 per person. · On Oct. 8, Sip, Stomp & Play at Urban Legend Cellars in Oakland, Calif. Money raised from this event goes towards preserving safe play areas for children that invite more physical activity into their lives. Actual wine will be made from all that wonderful juice collected from the stomping. Food from local eateries will also be available. · Napa Valley events run the gamut from Pinot Noirs around the World to a cooking class at Cedar Gables. St. Helena celebrates the harvest Oct. 22 with live music, crafts, wine tasting and a 5k run. Enjoy Twilight Barrel tastings from Howell Mountain estates. Check this very inclusive list from Napa Valley. · Get away to Half Moon Bay in November to experience the second annual Half Moon Bay Food and Wine Fare. Wines are available for tasting or by the bottle and local restaurants will be offering appetizing cuisine to pair with your wine. Admission is free but you will need to purchase a wine glass and wine tickets if you plan to taste. · Pinot on The River brings together artisan wineries with local cheesemakers in Healdsburg’s charming and historic Plaza Square. The location of the wineries are in the vicinity of the Russian River, where many wineries and tasting rooms exist. · Camp for wine crushing? Harvest Crush Camps allow the novice wine crusher to work alongside winemakers and cellar hands for a true hands-on experience in the grape crushing world. Learn about the different varietals, view wines being pressed and discover the art of sorting and de-stemming grapes. The fee is $50.00 and you can get all the information right here in this list of Sonoma events. · The Wine Road with events that cover the Sonoma Valley holds a Wine and Food Affair the first weekend in November. Wineries cover Cloverdale, Geyersville, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Guerneville. This is a two-day event and includes a logo wine glass and a recipe that will be prepared at the winery, paired with the perfect wine. Visit Wine Road for all the details.