California Wine Month is Here!
Celebrating 20 years of a great state of wine
September is always a big month for so many reasons - back to school, the return of football season and tailgating, the Vogue September issue, the beginning of fall and, at least in California, the wine grape harvest is in full swing.
It’s fitting that September is California Wine Month, as declared by the California State Legislature. Now in its 20th year, this state wide, month long celebration also coincides with California's wine bicentennial in 2024. Yes, wine has been made in California for 250 years.
“It is a great time for people to raise a glass to the cultural and economic significance of this great wine community in California,” says Gino DiCaro, Director of Communications for the Wine Institute, a policy-driven organization that is behind the wine month initiative.
More than 70 hosted events across the state, built around harvest, are taking place, where people can come together, celebrate and learn. For example, at Murrietta’s Well in Livermore Valley, you can learn all about the role falcons and other birds of prey play in protecting vineyards and contributing to sustainability from an expert falconer. Or, at Groth Vineyards in Napa Valley, you get to pick grapes, take them to the winery’s lab where you learn to analyize ripeness and estimate a harvest date. Other activities include barrel tastings, tours, culinary adventures, hikes, live music, yard games and yoga.
“These experiences give Californians and certainly people across the country the chance to understand how diverse California's wine is,” DiCaro says. “Most people don't realize that 49 of California's 58 counties are wine grape producing counties.”
Most people also probably don’t know that there are more than 100 grape varieties grown in California, making everything from sparkling to white, orange, rosé, red, port-style and dessert wines.
But you don’t have to leave home to be a part of California Wine Month. We all know the connection between food and wine, and you can explore that in your own kitchen with recipes from the free Iconic California Dishes to Celebrate California Wine Month - get the ebook here. There’s even a Spotifiy playlist - California Wine Nights - to help you create a vibe.
“California Wine Month is about getting together over a meal with a wonderful bottle of wine,” DiCaro says, “and sharing and putting down your phone and connecting with others.”
Sounds like a great way to celebrate wine every month. Click here for a list of the events and activities happening all September long.
