Napa & Sonoma:
About an hour north of San Francisco are the two valleys of Napa and Sonoma. World-famous for their wine, fine dining, natural beauty, arts and events, Napa and Sonoma Valleys offer visitors a lot to do. Wine enthusiasts can tour vineyards and wineries as well as take in the natural surroundings on foot, by bike, train, van or limousine. Tourists can easily rent bikes at many spots along the popular trails and main streets in both valleys. It is common to see groups of bicyclists pedaling along the Silverado Trail in Napa, for example, or stopped for lunch along Highway 29, a relatively peaceful two-lane highway that takes visitors north through the fabulous towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga. Another popular way to view the lush scenery and rolling hills is by hot air balloon, which visitors can see taking off most mornings.
"The Crush":
While grapes are grown year-round in the valleys, the growing process culminates in "the crush," when the grapes are literally crushed and turned into wine. Crush season is a busy and exciting time in Napa, Sonoma and any grape-growing region, when the smell of freshly-picked grapes blankets the valleys. The fall crush is the big event in Napa and Sonoma and usually takes place between late August and October, when the sugar level in the grapes reaches an optimal point. Of note, this point is different for every grape varietal. For example, Champagne requires the lowest sugar level, and is therefore picked first. Chardonnay is second, and the famous California reds come in last with the highest sugar levels. Wineries often celebrate the crush by involving visitors and guests, sometimes by having them go barefoot in the giant oak barrels to crush the grapes with their feet, as people used to do before modern machinery automated the process (and as Lucy did famously on the 1950's sitcome "I Love Lucy").
About an hour north of San Francisco are the two valleys of Napa and Sonoma. World-famous for their wine, fine dining, natural beauty, arts and events, Napa and Sonoma Valleys offer visitors a lot to do. Wine enthusiasts can tour vineyards and wineries as well as take in the natural surroundings on foot, by bike, train, van or limousine. Tourists can easily rent bikes at many spots along the popular trails and main streets in both valleys. It is common to see groups of bicyclists pedaling along the Silverado Trail in Napa, for example, or stopped for lunch along Highway 29, a relatively peaceful two-lane highway that takes visitors north through the fabulous towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Calistoga. Another popular way to view the lush scenery and rolling hills is by hot air balloon, which visitors can see taking off most mornings.
"The Crush":
While grapes are grown year-round in the valleys, the growing process culminates in "the crush," when the grapes are literally crushed and turned into wine. Crush season is a busy and exciting time in Napa, Sonoma and any grape-growing region, when the smell of freshly-picked grapes blankets the valleys. The fall crush is the big event in Napa and Sonoma and usually takes place between late August and October, when the sugar level in the grapes reaches an optimal point. Of note, this point is different for every grape varietal. For example, Champagne requires the lowest sugar level, and is therefore picked first. Chardonnay is second, and the famous California reds come in last with the highest sugar levels. Wineries often celebrate the crush by involving visitors and guests, sometimes by having them go barefoot in the giant oak barrels to crush the grapes with their feet, as people used to do before modern machinery automated the process (and as Lucy did famously on the 1950's sitcome "I Love Lucy").
