Harvest season in wine country is a time to celebrate the fruits of nature. Teams at many of the Napa wineries and Sonoma wineries breathe a collective sigh of relief following months of early mornings and endless nights for some young training interns. The effort is made possible by the common community spirit and supportive loved ones who during this time may work on opposite schedules. The sweat and struggle leads to an inevitable finale celebrated in different ways depending on tradition.
Toasting to and Blessing of the Grapes
Champagne is almost always guaranteed to mark the beginning and end of a busy couple of months. Some Napa wineries including the famous Grgich Hills Estate, commemorate the start of harvest season with a time-honored, annual tradition involving the Blessing of the Grapes. This beloved celebration enshrines the vineyards with a deep respect in hopes of a fruitful and delicious harvest in the weeks ahead.
Communal Dining
While communal dining this year may take a different form due to social distancing measures, a common tradition is to gather together and break bread over a laden table. These festive crush parties are a sea of dusty denim jeans and well worn Australian Blundstones but more importantly beer in hand with a larger than life smile. Some wineries welcome wine club members for exclusive seated vineyard or al fresco luncheons to mingle with cellar, vineyard and winemaking teams.
Mindfulness and Wine-fulness.
Among the indulgence and decadence of harvest is new age traditions including vineyard hikes and half marathons through wine country. Limited spaces fill quickly among sporty socialites who come to unwind from the grind and experience a healthy side of wine country life. Treat the mind to fun events including live music and sensory wine tasting experiences.
Harvest Provisions
Around the same time that wineries welcome participants to come and stomp grapes, winemaking teams gather for a different kind of harvest. Winemakers like Douglas Danielak from the legendary Knightsbridge Winery in Calistoga upholds his own tradition of preserving fruit harvested by hand from the winery orchard. Doug recognized many moons ago that when the blackberries are ripe, you know the grapes are soon to come.
Call Platypus Wine Tours today and ask our friendly team about planning a customized day out for you to relax and press reset. While wineries may be limiting their usual offerings this year, rest assured they’re finding fun ways for you to soak up the harvest celebrations. More information reserving your booking online at PlatypusTours.com
