RSS
Home
Escape the crunch of crush: Wine Country harvest escapes
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Harvest time has arrived, making Wine Country into the destination du jour of California's Indian Summer. Imagine warm languid days filled with the scent of crisped apples and grape leaves, earth being turned and yes, so much perfume of so many people, It seems as if everyone has the same idea as you. Traveling to Napa and Sonoma during harvest is a treat, albeit a chaotic one.
For those of you looking for an under the radar harvest destination, head south to Paso Robles, where tasting rooms are free, pinot noir reigns supreme and your dollar gets you a night in a regal hotel right in the heart of town.
While most of us pass right through Paso Robles on the way to the beach or LA, this town has been quietly dolling itself up, ready to become a player. In the know travelers and wine-lovers head here to sample award winning bottles for next to nothing. Just a short drive from town you can easily spend an entire day (or three) exploring the region's rolling hills dotted with vineyards. The wine road, along Highway 46, gets you all the way to the beach town of Cambria, the ideal place for lunch.
When you get back to town, check into the luxe Hotel Cheval, a wine country retreat that would make some of the finest Napa inns blush by comparision. Imagine country chic rooms, complete with fireplaces, marshmellow-y beds and silky robes to don while sipping tea and eating organic chocolate. Add in a basket of fresh pastries delivered to your room in the morning by friendly staff, a horseshoe-shaped bar with tasting events, and some of the best harvest deals in the state. And suddenly you begin to understand that luxury doesn't have to come at such a massive price, if you know where to look.
Serious oenophiles check out the hotel's Ultimate Wine Tasting Package: The package includes accommodation in one of Hotel Cheval’s guestrooms; a personal, in-depth, fully customized wine tasting & tour led by a “Court of the Master Sommeliers” certified Sommelier (The tour will consist of visits and tastings at 3-4 wineries (based on your wine selected preferences) and a gourmet lunch); transportation via the Hotel Cheval luxury SUV and a gourmet picnic lunch.
Package Price…$675 per couple; Valid Sunday thru Thursday of October 2009. Based on best available room. Must be booked a minimum of 14 days in advance.
Package Price…$675 per couple; Valid Sunday thru Thursday of October 2009. Based on best available room. Must be booked a minimum of 14 days in advance.
For more info: Pick up my Northern California: An Explorer's Guide.
More About:
Wine Country
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
As I stared at the collection of books, train toys, wipes, clothing and snacks overflowing from our backpacks, I had to ask the question: Have we, …
Some destinations rely on their notoriety to draw tourists back year after year. Mendocino County has a different agenda. Combining rich redwood …
- San Francisco Visitors Bureau
- San Jose Visitors Bureau
- Sacramento Visitors Bureau
- Napa Valley Visitors Bureau
- Sonoma County Visitors Bureau
- Mendocino County Visitors Bureau
- Humboldt County Visitors Bureau
- Shasta Cascade Visitors Bureau
- Lake Tahoe Information
- Yosemite Information
- Gold Country Information
- Santa Cruz Visitors Bureau
- Monterey County Visitors Bureau
