Every year in September, wineries, grape growers, and regional associations across California host special events and tastings as part of California Wine Month, the state’s annual harvest celebration. And 2020 will be no exception.
However, due to COVID-19 concerns, this year’s festivities will take the form of virtual wine tastings and tours, live-streamed auctions, digital cooking demonstrations, special wine discounts and the first-ever virtual grape stomp.
California Wines has also created a Harvest 2020 Playlist on Spotify to help put wine lovers in a harvest state of mind, wherever they happen to live.
Now in its 16th year, California Wine Month highlights the state’s 250-year winemaking history, and the innovative spirit of its wine community. Home to 4,200 vintners and 5,900 grape growers, California is the world’s fourth-largest wine producer and the source of 81 percent of the wine made in the United States. More than 90 percent of all California wine is produced in a Certified California Sustainable winery.
There will be dozens of virtual events and discount offers for California Wine Month, being updated daily. A pdf list of events as of this writing can also be viewed here
Some highlights of this year’s offerings include:
Aug. 24-Sept. 20: Sonoma County Wine Auction
Aug. 31-Sept. 30: Explore Lake County AVAs with Lake County Winegrape Growers
Sept. 1-15: Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance Wine Club Passport Wine Discount
Sept. 1-30: Taste of Sonoma at Home
Sept. 1-30: Celebrate California Wine Month with the Santa Lucia Highlands
Sept. 1-30: Temecula Valley CRUSH Wine & Culinary Extravaganza
Sept. 18: New California AVAs and Trends in California Wine with San Francisco Wine School
Sept. 27: Calaveras Virtual Grape Stomp: Backyard Edition with Calaveras Winegrape Alliance
California Wine Month Partners
California Wine Month is celebrated by restaurant, retail, media, and association partners in California and throughout the U.S. including:
Albertsons, Archer Hotel, California Avocados, California Figs, California Pears, California Restaurant Association, California Table Grapes, CellarPass, Charlie Palmer Steak, Compline, Dry Creek Kitchen, Epic Steak, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, GuildSomm, Ironwood, Lawrey’s Prime Rib, Oakville Grocery, Olea, Pavilions, Raley’s, Real California Milk, Restaurants Care, Safeway, San Francisco Wine School, Sapphire, Sky & Vine, SOMM Select, Vegan Vines, Vine Restaurant & Bar, Visit California, Visit Napa Valley, Vons, Women for WineSense, Women of the Vine & Spirits.
About Wine Institute
Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the association of 1,000 California wineries and wine-related businesses that initiate and advocate state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine.
Photo credit: Raymond Vineyards
