France and Italy may be known for their wineries and vineyards but Wine Country in California is just as beautiful, and much more affordable than flying to Europe.
In the last 30 years or so Wine Country in California has seen tremendous growth. Before 1975, Napa and Sonoma Counties had just 25 wineries but today they are home to over 400 wineries! This exponential growth came from the influx of tourists from local and international communities. Today, California’s Wine Country is flourishing and hosts winery tours for people from all over the country and abroad.
Thinking of going for a wine tour in California? Here’s what to expect.
Take in the captivating view
A wine tour is your chance to get a look at what goes on behind-the-scenes in a winery and all the processes involved in turning grapes into wine.
There isn’t a set standard as to what you will see at a winery. Some winemakers are more than happy to just share their wine while engaging in polite conversation with their visitors and telling them about how the wines were prepared; others begin the tours in the vineyards.
There’s something about being in a vineyard, completely immersed in nature and surrounded why vast spaces of luscious greenery that takes your breath away and revitalizes the soul.
Learn about harvesting grapes
City folk don’t really get the chance to pick fruits from trees and bushes but when in a vineyard, they’ll learn all about the harvesting and picking grapes from vines. It’s a refreshing change from your daily routine and you learn something new at the same time!
Learn how wine is made
Making wine is a long process and involves several steps. For a winemaker, their wine is their pride and joy. They love talking about it and sharing how it was made.
They’ll show visitors the crushes/presses (machines that prepare the grapes for fermentation by converting them to liquid/semi-liquid forms).
They will them take you to the fermentation vessels. These are massive stainless steel tanks where grape juice is transformed into wine. They’ll guide you through the processing of red or white wine and take you the aging vessels. Aging vessels are usually large oak barrels in which the wines are stored.
Once the wine is ready, it will them be filled into fancy glass bottles. Winemakers usually take visitors into the bottling rooms to see how the wine is filled, corked and labeled.
The winemaker or someone else from the winery will be guiding you through the tour. They’ll give you a quick explanation about what happens at each stage and provide you a brief history of the winery and how it began. You will most likely be grouped with other visitors who will accompany you on the tour. The entire winery tour should only take you around 20-30 minutes depending on how many questions the group asks.
By the end of the tour, you’ll be left feeling relaxed, satisfied…and maybe a little tipsy!
Interested in going wine-touring across California? Artisan Excursion offers exquisite wine-tasting tours in Solvang, St. Ynez and other parts of Wine Country in California at affordable prices. With us you can get the complete wine-touring experience without breaking your budget!
Check out the rates of our wine-tasting tours and book your tour today!