The 4 Best Harvest Events To Celebrate At This Year

From a music festival in Sonoma to a massive tasting in Napa, harvest delivers some of the best events of the year to celebrate wine country.

The Huichica Fest invites hours of great music, lounging and sipping wine.

Judgment of Napa

With the Judgment of Napa, everyone is given the chance to put on their sommelier hats and judge some of Napa Valley’s top wines up against the world’s best. Inspired by the 1976 Judgment of Paris, a wine tasting competition where a Californian wine came out on top, the event will pay tribute to Steven Spurrier, George Taber and Patricia Gastaud- Gallagher, all of whom were involved with the 1976 coup. This intimate affair allows guests to sip and judge 20 rare wines, 10 whites and 10 reds, in an exclusive blind tasting at the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, along with an expert panel, followed by a delectable vintner dinner. Oct. 5-6, 2800 Main St., St. Helena

Huichica Music Festival Sonoma

This Sonoma happening is a new breed of music festival. Instead of simply focusing on the artists, the event brings together wine, food and music to create a dynamic festival experience. Held at the Gundlach Bundschu Winery in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountain Range, the annual boutique music fest features a curated lineup of indiefolk musicians, local artisanal foods and Gundlach Bundschu’s estate-grown wines. The relaxed environment allows guests to fully take in the breathtaking surroundings while sipping incredible wine in celebration of the harvest season. Oct. 15-16, 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma

Wind to Wine Festival

Celebrating more than 20 wineries and more than 100 wines from the Petaluma Gap AVA, this fest held at the Gambonini Family Ranch is the perfect place to celebrate the harvest season. The Petaluma Gap is known for its unique wind patterns that cause the skins of the grapes to thicken and stay longer on the vine, allowing for more complex flavors to fully develop. Wineries will pour sips of their best pinot noirs, chardonnays, syrahs and more for an estimated 300 guests, alongside live music, winemaker storytelling and food trucks on the patio. Oct. 16, 7149 Old Lakeville Road, #3, Petaluma

Cakebread Cellars Family Harvest Festival

Since the early 1970s, the family-owned Cakebread Cellars has grown and produced some of the finest Napa Valley wines. Through the Family Harvest Festival, the winemakers will share the fruits of their labor in a day of fun. With interactive learning opportunities for kids and elegant hors d’oeuvres and wine pairings for adults, the entire family can enjoy the beautifully landscaped courtyards and charming atmosphere of the Cakebread Cellars Home Ranch. Oct. 16, 8300 Saint Helena Highway, Rutherford