By Leeann Froese
As the month of October heads to its mid point we are now in fall's official season, and all that it will bring. With the cooler evenings here in Vancouver where I live and the longer shadows, summer has now slipped away from us like the beach sand through our fingertips.
But the sun keeps making a fighting return, not to yet be outdone by a rainy day or two. It's at this time that we can start to daydream about what autumn might offer, while grasping onto the days of summer. I have an idea for a last-minute fall getaway that I want to share, that was inspired by my summer trip to California with the Wine Bloggers Conference.
Make a fall getaway to California wine country and visit Paso Robles wine country.
Fall is a perfect time to visit because the weather is beautiful, the grapes are ripe and in the midst of being harvested, and from October 17 - 19, 2014, wineries are set to host events.
Harvest in Paso Robles Wine Country, like in other regions, is a time of excitement shared by winemakers, growers, and tasting room staff alike. It is the culmination of a successful year of hard work in the vineyard, and is a glimpse into what the new vintage holds. Harvest Wine Weekend 2014 celebrates with more than 140 Paso Robles wineries inviting wine lovers to their tasting rooms, vineyards and wineries for tours, special tastings, live music, winemaker dinners and much more.
Wineries get creative during this annual celebration, presenting varied events, educational opportunities and hands-on fun such as wine and bacon pairings, grape stomps, and blending sessions.
As far as visiting, I had been to Napa twice, but never to any other wine regions in California so I was very curious to see what Paso Robles brings. So before Sujinder Juneja and I attended the Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Barbara this past July, we spent two days in Paso Robles on a pre-conference excursion.
We left Vancouver on an early morning flight and after an easy stopover in Seattle we flew into the San Jose International Airport by lunch time.
When we was there, it was a whirlwind two days, and we were lucky enough to taste wines from a large handful of wineries, and take in much of the beautiful countryside.
What I was most stricken by, however, was the people we met. As has been my experience in every other wine region I have visited, the hard work and passionate approach by the people of the area are its heartbeat. There was a lack of pretension, a genuine pride in the work being done, and hospitality surrounding the wines being made.
The vintners we met were keen to share their Cabernets, Zinfandels and the smaller production of Rhone based wines.
I loved the beautiful, grassy countryside striped with vines, and the rolling hills that make way to lavender fields and stunning vistas. There is a tranquility to the open skies, and settling into a shady patio with a glass of wine from Paso Robles as you take it all in is the way to go.
If this is not enough notice for you to make a quick getaway, the Paso Robles wineries have an excellent visit planner on their website as well as a mobile app. Start planning your trip to Paso Robles now.
I'll be headed back there in November 2014 for the Wine Tourism Conference, and I can't wait. Stay tuned for more on Paso Robles, the discoverable wine region located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco; there's so much more to share.
