Even though there are many parts of the world that cultivate grapes and produce wine, the wine country tour of Northern California is internationally known for its outstanding wines. This area predominantly comprise of Napa Valley, Sonoma, Mendocino and parts of Lake Counties.
An incredible range of different varietals are grown in these four counties, and many people take a weekend off to tour the wine country to taste its many exotic wines.
The easiest way to taste wines during wine country tour is to visit public tasting rooms. In most of the places the public tasting rooms will be affiliated to a particular winery only -but in some cities, like Napa, these tasting rooms will be supporting four or five smaller wineries. Tasting fees will also vary depending on the region and the style and ambience of the public tasting rooms.
For instance, in Napa Wine Tour, they may be costly while in most of the other wine tasting rooms – they are either free or at a nominal fee. Every tasting room has its own characteristics – and as such select a tasting room that meets your requirements. Some wineries will require prior reservations for wine tasting – so make reservations before you start or call ahead if you are making an unplanned visit.
There are more than a hundred grape different varietals grown in wine country and the wines found in the four counties draw from French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese and Eastern European varietals and Napa Valley Wine Tours are best known for their cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, pinot noir, zinfandel, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc.
Please also remember that California Wine Country Tours is home to many fabulous restaurants that can often prove a convenient way to continue tasting the best wines the county has to offer and these restaurants invariably feature extensive wine lists with a focus on local bottles.
Traveling around wine country certainly requires some advance planning. Do some pre-study and prepare a list of all the places you wish to visit in the wine country and then decide on the major destinations. When searching the Internet, you will find plenty of wine tour packages – quite a few imaginatively drawn and affordably priced.
One of the fulfilling ways to travel is to hire a local driver who can take you around to the select tasting rooms to provide you a wholesome wine tasting experience. In Napa Tour there is even a wine train, which will take you to a handful of wineries located near the tracks.
If you truly want to make the best of your wine tour, you must avoid going there during weekends. Being in wine country during the weekends can mean you have to jostle your way with huge crowds and be prepared for a long wait at the tasting rooms. Besides, the busy tasting room staff will not find time to interact and share with you valuable information about wine making.
It is wise to undertake wine country tour during the off-season – Napa Valley’s off-season runs from November through April and touring the areas during these months, you can be comfortable and the tariff will also be lower for hotel stay. You can also spend time leisurely with the winemakers who will educate you all about the art and science of wine making.