Throughout the United States, wherever wine is made (and that’s just about every state), harvest is underway. There is no better time to visit wine country. Harvest is a feast for the senses, with the smell of fermenting grapes in the air, warm days and cool nights, and the up-close-and-personal view of the new vintage.
Whether you are in New York or Virginia, Missouri or Idaho, California or Washington, the time for a visit is now.
Rooted as I am in California, I tend to spend some time each harvest in my home state. This week I offer up three California destinations that in my opinion are pure magic during the grape harvest.
First, Healdsburg, California in the heart of Sonoma County. Healdsburg is surrounded by vineyards, from Chalk Hill to the Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys. This small village with its quaint town square is a beehive of activity during harvest. There are numerous excellent bed and breakfast spots to choose from, but I typically decamp at Hotel Healdsburg with its crackling fireplace in the bar area and exquisite menu offerings at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen.
Napa, California is perhaps the busiest destination of them all around harvest. I like to stay at the Rancho Caymus Inn, north of the city in the heart of the Napa Valley. Under the same ownership as the excellent Flora Springs winery, Rancho Caymus features wood-burning fireplaces in nearly every room and is right next door to the iconic Beaulieu Vineyards winery. You can’t get much closer to the harvest as that, with trucks wheeling grapes to the crusher throughout the night. Also next door is the delicious Rutherford Grill, where there is no corkage fee if you bring in your own wine. And not to be missed at harvest is a stop at Chef Ken Frank’s La Toque, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Westin hotel in the city of Napa. Frank runs a special truffle menu every year during harvest, and if you’re lucky Chef Frank will personally shave truffles at your table. 
Paso Robles, California is another small California city with a big winery presence and a charming town square . A patio table at BL Brasserie (formerly Bistro Laurent) puts you in the middle of everything, with local wines galore at one of Paso’s most prominent restaurants over the past two decades. And for a superb dining experience at a winery, the restaurant at Niner Wine Estates on the west side of Paso is about as good as it gets. The finest bed and breakfast around, The Canyon Villa, also is located on the west side. Chef Wills Carter, the proprietor, won’t disappoint. Chef Carter has serious game.
Email Robert at [email protected]
or connect with him on Twitter at @WineGuru
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