Napa Valley Promotes “Crush Season” to Tourists

Napa Valley is heavily promoting September and October “crush season” with interactive experiences, wine tastings, banquets and new accommodations.

The early fall is when vineyards harvest grapes “and the scent of wine permeates the air,” Visit Napa Valley said. Visitors can experience everything from a “grape stomp,” at Peju Province and Bell Wine Cellars, to wine blending classes at B Cellars and Judd’s Hill.

Visitors also can learn wine production at Round Pond’s “Day in the Life” program, where guests measure the ripeness of the grapes during a vineyard tour, partake in a winemaking tutorial, and conclude with a tasting of the estate’s olive oils.

In lodging, downtown Napa opens the Archer Hotel Napa in Oct. 2017, featuring a Charlie Palmer steakhouse, and a rooftop bar. Additionally, $45 million in renovations are almost complete at Vintage House and will be underway at Hotel Villagio, two hotels anchoring the new The Estate Yountville.