The Town of Calistoga

For the past few years the town of Calistoga, at the Napa Valley’s north end, has been hosting an incredible Harvest Table. The town blocks off its main street and sets more than 1,000 feet of tables in the downtown center, replete with Old West charm. Nine local restaurants and more than 40 wineries participate to serve what organizers call “an unparalleled culinary experience,” and they’re not kidding. Tickets go on sale in July on Eventbrite for the dinner, which this year takes place on September 11. Even if you don’t get a ticket for the table, an extended public social hour gets you in on local wines and conversation from 4:30 pm to 6pm—just long enough to talk a new [ticket-holding] friend into sharing a tasting plate.

visitcalistoga.com

V. Sattui Winery

This winery, which grew out of a business founded in 1885, is known for embracing the fun side of the vine, and so it should come as no surprise that their annual October Crush Party is one of the more popular in the area. They throw open the doors of the winery and give people a behind-the-scenes look at how their wines are made, plus there’s live music and piles of amazing food pouring out of their wood-fired pizza ovens and off their live-fire Tuscan grill. Best of all, there’s an “old fashioned grape stomp” with numerous buckets set up for individuals and couples to crush away. And when you’re done turning your feet purple, you get to enjoy some beauty in your glass—more than 40 wines are on offer to try, each glass getting you a little closer to the dance floor…

vsattui.com

ZD Wines

Three generations of the deLeuze family operate this winery, which was founded in 1969. Building on a legacy of respected and lauded pours, their Crush Challenge in August is a fun-filled day of great food, cycling and wines. Come harvest time, their Harvest Wine Celebration in November focuses on the bottled stuff and benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley’s Teen Center.

zdwines.com

Frog’s Leap

We’ve long been fans of this winery, with its luxe-casual tasting room and principled organic grape growing, dry farming and biodynamic attentions. In fall, Frog’s Leap runs a Frogtoberfest end-of-harvest celebration for “Fellowship of the Frog” winery members. It’s quite a limited affair, 90 seats only, but for the lucky few who get to attend a proper feast is on offer. Owner and Winemaker John Williams shares wines and stories from the vineyard, Chef Daniel Bruce creates an incredible menu and, with no detail left to chance, a good time is had by all.

fellowshipofthefrog.com

Grgich Hills Estate

“In the past you followed a stranger into the grapes and stomped, but since Covid that won’t fly anymore.” So explains a tasting room representative at this Napa institution, named for Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, who made history in 1976 by beating an array of French Burgandies in a blind Paris Tasting to have a Napa Chardonnay he’d crafted be named finest white wine in the world. Today, rather than crowds milling among the vineyards and stomping away, wine club members can book a picnic experience, which includes a gourmet picnic lunch for two in an elegant tote (which patrons get to keep). Book the picnic experience and you can add a grape stomp to your day, making for an enjoyable, wine-soaked afternoon.

grgich.com

Schramsberg

One of Napa’s oldest wineries (it was founded in 1862) and home to the sparkling wines that have been served at all official State functions by every U.S. President since Nixon, Schramsberg goes deep during harvest. They host a Camp Davies Fall Harvest Session in October, a three-day “wine adventure” that begins with an orientation dinner and sparkling wine reception and then enters two days of wine education. The first includes a trip to the vineyards with the director of winemaking to harvest grapes and to get a crush course (sorry!) on various viticultural practices, learning how sugar and acid balance and how various techniques play into the Davies Vineyards wines. Campers get to experience “the crush” on the same day, following through on the winemaking process and enjoying lunch. Day three is all about [grape] skin contact, tastings and more education on the wine process. The whole thing concludes with a graduation and certificate (and presumably more wine). For true oenophiles who want a deeper dive into the barrel, this is a great way to enjoy the harvest season.

schramsberg.com

Rutherford Hill

For fans of BBQ, good music and wine, this Terlato Family Winery’s annual Barn Bash release party in September is a harvest celebration not to be missed. Live music plays and the food keeps coming, even as wines are paired with incredible views from the top of the winery’s namesake, Rutherford Hill. Rutherford Hill holds the distinction of employing wine caves, which it built and in which it ages wines year-round in nearly 8,000 French and American oak barrels.

rutherfordhill.com

Trefethen Vineyards

Held in late September, Trefethen’s “Hands-on Harvest” gets you into the grapes to lend a hand and to follow the juice on its journey from vineyard to bottle. Set in the Oak Knoll District of Napa’s southern end, the vineyards benefit from a mild, cool climate and a temperature that can be up to 10˚F cooler than properties further north in the valley. This can mean opportunities for a wider variety of grapes, which on Trefethen’s property are grown along principles of biodiversity and sustainability. As a responsible vineyard that produces beautiful wines, it’s a great option for a harvest experience.

trefethen.com

Buena Vista Winery

Opposite Napa in Sonoma Valley, Buena Vista Winery takes a festively relaxed approach to harvest with its annual harvest brunch for club members. The day takes guests through the process of wine-making, touring various areas of the winery before retiring to the courtyard for a fantastic brunch. If you want to get into the crushing action they’re happy to oblige—just let them know you want to join the crush team and, if it’s not already sold out, prepare to stomp.

buenavistawinery.com

Stay

Montage Healdsburg

If you’re looking to stay in Sonoma and maximize your access to the breadth of Northern California’s wine country, this retreat sits among 285 beautiful acres. Three restaurants, a “zero-edge” pool and an 11,500-square-foot spa nicely complement any harvest vacation.

Meadowood

Set behind a vineyard close to nearly everywhere you want to visit in Napa, the elegant Meadowood features superlative accommodations, a top spa, and tremendous amenities, including a professional-level croquet lawn and a charming 9-hole golf course.

Carneros Resort

We could spend all day in the pool at this Napa property, staring at the hills and enjoying a glass of something wonderful—but then we’d miss out on the newly renovated cottages, which feature clean lines and sharp California design, and we’d miss the spa, complimentary bicycles and great dining as well. Heated floors in the bathrooms, deep soaking tubs and wine tastings, too? Count us in.

Catch The Crush

Washington’s Yakima Valley knows how to party when harvest comes around. In mid October, the Catch The Crush event brings a wide array of local wineries together for a festival that features grape stomps, plenty of food, live music and specialty wine releases. Best of all, the festival is free. Just show up and jump in—literally. Stomp with the area’s VanArnam Vineyards and you can get a T-shirt with your grape-soaked footprints on them—an unofficial badge for members of the Purple Feet Club. One thing to remember: bring your own (non-breakable) glass.

visityakima.com

Canvasback Harvest Party

This Walla Walla winery (say “Walla Walla winery” quickly five times after a few glasses) celebrates fall with a mid-September Harvest Party. Held on the broad lawn in front of the wide-open tasting room, the festival is a casual affair that allows you to stomp grapes, play lawn games and listen to live music while someone else handles the grill and keeps the wine flowing.

canvasbackwine.com

Italian Heritage Days

If you like your wine with Italian food and music, this Walla Walla celebration of Italian heritage in mid-October coincides with harvest and features grape stomping competitions, a parade, Italian dancing, Italian music, and a seemingly endless supply of inspiring Italian foods and local wines. Salute!

Stay

Eritage Resort

Set on 300 acres of rolling wheat fields and vineyards, this modern property just minutes from downtown Walla Walla feels a world away, thanks in part to the spacious guest rooms and suites, some of which feature high ceilings, fireplaces and amenities and all the room you need to stretch out, wine down and relax. Remember to enquire about harvest-related dinners and events.