Wine country in September is a different place than the one most visitors book for summer, and this year it arrived earlier. California’s 2026 wine-grape harvest began weeks ahead of schedule, with Napa and Sonoma already well into crush and harvest programming running across four American wine regions from September into October. This is the most visibly active part of the wine-country calendar, and this year’s early harvest makes the window shorter than usual.
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp? F?FDF2==J H2C> |2C49 2446=6C2E65 3F5 3C62< :? }2A2 '2==6J[ AFEE:?8 E96 a_ae 8C@H:?8 D62D@? @? 2? 62C=J E:>6E23=6 7C@> E96 DE2CE] }2A2 '2==6J DA2C<=:?8 H:?6 AC@5F46C r92?5@? DE2CE65 A:4<:?8 DA2C<=:?8\H:?6 492C5@??2J @? yF=J ac[ :ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]492?5@?]4@>^6?\FD^492?5@?\42=:7@C?:2\62C=:6DE\92CG6DE\a_ae]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm62C=:6DE 92CG6DE DE2CEk^2m :? db J62CD[ H:E9 DE:==\H:?6 G2C:6E:6D 7@==@H:?8 =2E6C :? E96 D62D@?]Â k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmt2C=J H2C>E9 H2D 7@==@H65 3J 2 H6EE6C DAC:?8[ 2?5 4@@=[ H:?5J 4@?5:E:@?D 5FC:?8 3=@@> C65F465 J:6=5D :? D@>6 G:?6J2C5D] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D@?@>2H:?68C2A6]@C8^D@?@>2\4@F?EJ\368:?D\@?6\@7\:ED\62C=:6DE\H:?68C2A6\92CG6DED\:?\J62CD^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm$@?@>2 r@F?EJ (:?68C@H6CDk^2m 56D4C:365 a_ae 2D @?6 @7 E96 C68:@?’D 62C=:6DE 92CG6DE DE2CED :? J62CD] %96J 2?E:4:A2E65 @?6 @7 :ED =:89E6C 4C@AD :? C646?E J62CD[ E9@F89 E96 D42=6 @7 E96 C65F4E:@? G2C:6D 3J C68:@?[ G2C:6EJ 2?5 G:?6J2C5]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmr:2EE:[ 2 r2=:7@C?:2 H:?6\8C2A6 3C@<6C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H:?6:?5FDECJ?6EH@C<]4@>^4^A@DEn7:5l@}xz$*2he_)f0gcdQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmC6A@CE65 :? pF8FDE a_aek^2m E92E E96 92CG6DE =@@<D =:<6 :E H:== 36 r2=:7@C?:2’D 62C=:6DE :? 2 86?6C2E:@?[ H:E9 2 D:8?:7:42?E A6C46?E286 @7 A:4<:?8 @? EC24< E@ 36 4@>A=6E6 3J E96 6?5 @7 $6AE6>36C] w2CG6DE :D F?56CH2J :? r2=:7@C?:2[ H9:=6 ~C68@? 2?5 (2D9:?8E@? 2C6 6?E6C:?8 E96:C @H? 72== H:?6 D62D@?D[ 8:G:?8 EC2G6=6CD D6G6C2= H2JD E@ 6IA6C:6?46 4CFD9 7C@> $6AE6>36C :?E@ ~4E@36C] k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm(92E E96 52E2 D2JD 23@FE 72== EC2G6=k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]C6DE2FC2?E]@C8^C6D62C49\2?5\>65:2^>65:2^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^?2E:@?2=\C6DE2FC2?E\2DD@4:2E:@?\a_ae\DF>>6C\EC2G6=\5:?:?8\C6A@CE^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm}2E:@?2= #6DE2FC2?E pDD@4:2E:@? DFCG6Jk^2m @7 >@C6 E92? `[___ 4@?DF>6CD 4@?5F4E65 :? |2J 7@F?5 E92E G:D:E:?8 C6DE2FC2?ED C2?<65 2D E96 E@A G242E:@? 24E:G:EJ 2>@?8 5@>6DE:4 DF>>6C EC2G6=6CD[ 29625 @7 D9@AA:?8 2?5 D:89ED66:?8] p>@?8 E9@D6 EC2G6=6CD[ fhT D2:5 E96J H2?E E@ 6IA6C:6?46 =@42= 4F:D:?6 2?5 D66< @FE C6DE2FC2?ED <?@H? 7@C E96:C 56DE:?2E:@?’D 7@@5D 2?5 7=2G@CD] %96 DFCG6J 4@G6C65 5@>6DE:4 EC2G6=6CD 86?6C2==J[ 3FE :ED 7:?5:?8D @776C FD67F= 4@?E6IE 7@C 2 C68:@? H96C6 E96 7@@5 2?5 E96 =2?5D42A6 2C6 :?D6A2C23=6 7C@> E96 6IA6C:6?46]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmu@@5’D C@=6 :? EC2G6= 564:D:@?D 6IE6?5D H6== 36J@?5 p>6C:42? 3@C56CD] %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H@C=57@@5EC2G6=]@C8^a_ae\7@@5\EC2G6=\>@?:E@CQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQma_ae u@@5 %C2G6= |@?:E@Ck^2m 7@F?5 E92E EC2G6=6CD C2E65 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 7@@5 2?5 5C:?< :? 56DE:?2E:@? 49@:46 2E g]a @FE @7 `_[ H:E9 EH@\E9:C5D D2J:?8 7@@5 >2EE6CD >@C6 E@ E96:C EC2G6= E92? :E 5:5 7:G6 J62CD 28@] w2CG6DE D62D@? :D H96? E92E AC:@C:EJ 2?5 H:?6 4@F?ECJ’D 42=6?52C 2=:8? >@DE ?2EFC2==J]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm%96 4=2DD:4 H:?6 4@F?ECJ 92CG6DEk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm}2A2 5FC:?8 92CG6DE :D E96 G6CD:@? @7 H:?6 4@F?ECJ E92E >@DE A6@A=6 92G6 D66? :? A:4EFC6D[ 2?5 76H6C 92G6 24EF2==J 6IA6C:6?465] %96 8@=56? G:?6J2C5D 2?5 E96 A@=:D965 E2DE:?8 C@@>D 2C6 DE:== E96C6[ 3FE E96J D92C6 E96 G2==6J H:E9 D@>6E9:?8 >@C6 :>>65:2E6 5FC:?8 4CFD9]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmpE H:?6C:6D E92E @A6? E96:C AC@5F4E:@? 2C62D E@ G:D:E@CD[ E96 D>6== @7 76C>6?E2E:@? 5C:7ED @77 E96 4CFD9 A25D 2?5 >249:?6CJ 9F>D E9C@F89 E96 4@@= >@C?:?8 2:C] (:?6>2<6CD[ FDF2==J EF4<65 2H2J :? E96 46==2C[ 2C6 G:D:3=J AC6D6?E 2?5 3FDJ]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 G2==6J CF?D 92CG6DE AC@8C2>>:?8 E9C@F89 ~4E@36C[ H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?2A2G2==6J;@FC?6JD]4@>^?2A2\G2==6J\6G6?ED]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm6G6?ED 24C@DD E96 C68:@?k^2m :?4=F5:?8 H:?6CJ 92CG6DE A2CE:6D[ 369:?5\E96\D46?6D 4CFD9 A25 E2DE:?8D 2?5 H:?6>2<6C 5:??6CD] w@H6G6C[ 2G2:=23:=:EJ 2?5 2446DD G2CJ 3J AC@A6CEJ] #6D6CG2E:@?D 2C6 25G:D23=6 7@C $6AE6>36C 2?5 ~4E@36C[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 7@C H66<6?5D]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm(96C6 92CG6DE :D 3:886C E92? E96 H:?6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$@?@>2 r@F?EJ 2?5 (2D9:?8E@?’D *2<:>2 '2==6J D92C6 D@>6E9:?8 E92E D6A2C2E6D E96> 7C@> E96 >@C6 H:?6\7@4FD65 92CG6DE 6IA6C:6?46] x? 3@E9 A=246D[ E96 8C2A6 92CG6DE :D A2CE @7 D@>6E9:?8 =2C86C[ 6>365565 :? 2? 28C:4F=EFC2= 42=6?52C E92E 6IE6?5D H6== 36J@?5 E96 G:?6J2C5D] k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm$@?@>2 r@F?EJ’D `h 5:DE:?4E p>6C:42? ':E:4F=EFC2= pC62D 2?5 >@C6 E92? cad H:?6C:6D 8:G6 G:D:E@CD 2 =6DD 46?EC2=:K65 :E:?6C2CJ E92? }2A2 '2==6J[ H9:49 :D A2CE @7 H92E >2<6D :E H@CE9 6IA=@C:?8] %96 4@F?EJ’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D@?@>24@F?EJ]4@>^H:?6^36DE\92CG6DE\24E:G:E:6D\D@?@>2\4@F?EJ^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm92CG6DE AC@8C2>>:?8k^2m CF?D 7C@> G:?6J2C5 E@FCD 2?5 4CFD9 A25 E2DE:?8D E@ 72C>\E@\E23=6 5:??6CD 2?5 E96 2??F2= $@?@>2 r@F?EJ w2CG6DE u2:C[ H9:49 :?4=F56D E96 (@C=5 r92>A:@?D9:A vC2A6 $E@>A] sCJ rC66< '2==6J[ p=6I2?56C '2==6J 2?5 #FDD:2? #:G6C '2==6J 6249 @776C 2 5:776C6?E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^D9@F=56C\D62D@?\6D42A6D^Qm72== 92CG6DE 6IA6C:6?46k^2m] k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 *2<:>2 '2==6J H2D (2D9:?8E@?’D 7:CDE 7656C2==J C64@8?:K65 p>6C:42? ':E:4F=EFC2= pC62 2?5 :D DFCC@F?565 3J H@C<:?8 28C:4F=EFC2= =2?5 E92E 8:G6D :E 2 5:776C6?E 766= 7C@> E96 >@C6 H:?6\7@4FD65 4@CC:5@CD @7 }2A2 @C $@?@>2] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G:D:EJ2<:>2]4@>^H:?6\6G6?E\42E49\E96\4CFD9Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmr2E49 E96 rCFD9k^2m CF?D ~4E] h\`` 24C@DD E96 G2==6J[ H:E9 A2CE:4:A2E:?8 H:?6C:6D @776C:?8 2 >:I @7 E2DE:?8D[ 92CG6DE 24E:G:E:6D[ 4CFD9\A25 6IA6C:6?46D 2?5 7@@5 6G6?ED] %96 G2==6J’D @C492C5D[ 9@A 7:6=5D 2?5 AC@5F46 72C>D 6IE6?5 E96 92CG6DE DE@CJ H6== 36J@?5 E96 G:?6J2C5D]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmp >@C6 :?E:>2E6 4CFD9k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm~C68@?’D (:==2>6EE6 '2==6J :D 36DE <?@H? 7@C A:?@E ?@:C[ 2?5 92CG6DE 96C6 E6?5D E@ CF? 2E 2 5:776C6?E A246 E92? r2=:7@C?:2] %96 G2==6J’D D>2==6C H:?6C:6D 2?5 4@@=6C 4=:>2E6 42? 4C62E6 2 >@C6 :?E:>2E6 92CG6DE 6IA6C:6?46]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H:==2>6EE6H:?6D]4@>^A=2?\J@FC\G:D:E^D62D@?D^92CG6DE^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm(:==2>6EE6 '2==6J (:?6C:6D pDD@4:2E:@?k^2m AC@>@E6D 92CG6DE\D62D@? G:D:ED E9C@F89@FE $6AE6>36C 2?5 ~4E@36C[ H:E9 92CG6DE C6A@CED 2?5 H:?6CJ 6G6?ED AF3=:D965 C68F=2C=J D@ G:D:E@CD 42? 7@==@H E96 D62D@? 2D :E F?7@=5D] %96 E@H?D @7 sF?566[ r2C=E@? 2?5 |4|:??G:==6 2=D@ 8:G6 G:D:E@CD A=246D E@ 4@>3:?6 E2DE:?8 C@@>D[ C6DE2FC2?ED 2?5 @G6C?:89E DE2JD H:E9@FE DA6?5:?8 E96 6?E:C6 EC:A @? E96 C@25]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmv@ H9:=6 E96 4CFD9 A25D 2C6 CF??:?8k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 8C2A6 92CG6DE :D @?6 @7 E9@D6 E9:?8D E92E D@F?5D C@>2?E:4 7C@> 2 5:DE2?46] &A 4=@D6[ 2 4CFD9 A25 2E f 2]>] :D =@F5[ DE:4<J 2?5 4@>A=6E6=J 2=:G6[ 2?5 E92E :D E96 G6CD:@? @7 H:?6 4@F?ECJ H@CE9 A=2??:?8 2 EC:A 2C@F?5] xE 5@6D ?@E =2DE =@?8[ 2?5 :E 5@6D ?@E H2:E]Â k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmy6??:76C p==6? :D 2 C6E:C65 4967 EFC?65 EC2G6=6C[ 4@@<3@@< 2FE9@C 2?5 ?2E:@?2==J DJ?5:42E65 ;@FC?2=:DEj D96’D 2=D@ 2 4@\7@F?56C @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m[ H96C6 D96 D92C6D 6IA6CE EC2G6= E:AD[ 4CF:D6 :?D:89ED 2?5 =FIFCJ 56DE:?2E:@? 8F:56D] p C64@8?:K65 4CF:D6 6IA6CE H:E9 2 566A A2DD:@? 7@C 9:89\6?5 6IA6C:6?46D 2?5 @77\E96\362E6?\A2E9 56DE:?2E:@?D[ y6??:76C 6IA=@C6D E96 H@C=5 H:E9 4FC:@D:EJ[ 56AE9 2?5 2 DE@CJE6==6C’D A6CDA64E:G6] w6C 2CE:4=6D 2C6 C68F=2C=J 762EFC65 @? E96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD (:C6[ %96 (2D9:?8E@? !@DE[ $62EE=6 %:>6D[ |$} 2?5 >@C6]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^36DE\E:>6\E@\G:D:E\H:?6\4@F?ECJ^Qm%96 36DE E:>6 E@ G:D:E H:?6 4@F?ECJ :D 92AA6?:?8 C:89E ?@H[ 2?5 >@DE A6@A=6 >:DD :Ek^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am
