August 31, 2020,

Ideas and suggestions for excuses to drink wine are not necessary.

Appreciate the thought but most people can think of a bottle of reasons to drink wine all by themselves.

Though we suspect you’re okay, in case you’ve run out of reasons, we will give you another reason to have another glass of wine or two.

September is California Wine month.

Time to celebrate.

The team at visitcalifornia.com educate, “The geographic range and variety of events during wine month mean that you’ll need to plan ahead. The good news, is that the state’s biggest metropolitan areas and airport hubs, San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Sacramento all put you within a couple of hours or less of several different wine regions, from Mendocino County in the north to Amador County in Gold Country down to Temecula Valley east of San Diego.”

While you could debate that every month is wine month in California, or should be, September is especially magical, says Gladys Horiuchi, a spokesperson for the Wine Institute. “It’s the harvest,” she says. “The grapes are fully mature on the vine and some are already coming in. The smell of crushed grapes is in the air and if you get out early, you might even see the crush taking place. This is an exciting time to visit.”

Makes perfect sense. They are speaking our language. We love variety.

So does the group at discovercaliforniawines.com who add, “California grows over 100 different wine grape varieties and accounts for over 80% of the American wine production. If California were a country, it would be the 4th largest producer in the world! Despite it’s size, however California’s wine landscape is constantly changing with recent approvals of eight new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and another eight on the way!”

For us novices, what is a Viticultural Area?

According to the American Alcohol, Tobacco and Trade Bureau ttb.gov, “An American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is a specific type of appellation of origin used on wine labels. An AVA is a delimited grape-growing region with specific geographic or climatic features that distinguish it from the surrounding regions and affect how grapes are grown.”

The wine country and surrounding region could sure use some cheering up after the recent California wild fires.

Typically large wine producers sell to grocery chains and others manufacturers and their soaring online sales have thrived during widespread business closures because of the pandemic.

Wineries that sell high-end wines to restaurants and those that rely on tourists have taken a big hit.

The Claims Journal shares, “Three of the past four years, major wildfires have burned in Napa and Sonoma counties, charring vineyards, burning down a historic winery and sending plumes of smoke above the neatly tended rows of vines rolling across scenic hills.

While the majority of vineyards, winemaking facilities and tasting rooms that lure tourists from around the world have escaped damage, the perception of the area being on fire yet again has not helped business. Add restrictions on tastings and dining during the coronavirus pandemic, and winemakers say they are reeling.”

While Napa and Sonoma counties produce only about 10% of California’s wine, they have a massive influence on California’s position as the nation’s leading wine producer.

This is a good time to help them recover and we all can do that, especially during this wonderful fall like atmosphere in serene Northern California.

“What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others.”…Diogenes

California Wine Month Launches with Virtual Events and Offers

More than 30 Partners Join September Celebration

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — September is California Wine Month, the state’s annual harvest celebration. Each year, wineries, grape growers and regional associations across the state host special events and tastings, and 2020 will be no exception. However, due to COVID-19 concerns, this year’s festivities will take the form of virtual wine tastings and tours, live-streamed auctions, digital cooking demonstrations, special wine discounts and the first-ever virtual grape stomp. California Wines has also created a Harvest 2020 Playlist on Spotify to help put wine lovers in a harvest state of mind, wherever they happen to live.

Now in its 16^th year, California Wine Month highlights the state’s 250-year winemaking history, and the innovative spirit of its wine community. Home to 4,200 vintners and 5,900 grape growers, California is the world’s fourth-largest wine producer and the source of 81 percent of the wine made in the United States. More than 90 percent of all California wine is produced in a Certified California Sustainable winery.

Visit https://discovercaliforniawines.com/california-wine-month to view details and descriptions of dozens of virtual events and discount offers for California Wine Month, being updated daily. A pdf list of events as of this writing can also be viewed here.

Some highlights of this year’s offerings include:

Aug. 24-Sept. 20: Sonoma County Wine Auction

Aug. 31-Sept. 30: Explore Lake County AVAs with Lake County Winegrape Growers

Sept. 1-15: Sta. Rita Hills Wine Alliance Wine Club Passport Wine Discount

Sept. 1-30: Taste of Sonoma at Home

Sept. 1-30: Celebrate California Wine Month with the Santa Lucia Highlands

Sept. 1-30: Temecula Valley CRUSH Wine & Culinary Extravaganza

Sept. 18: New California AVAs and Trends in California Wine with San Francisco Wine School

Sept. 27: Calaveras Virtual Grape Stomp: Backyard Edition with Calaveras Winegrape Alliance

California Wine Month Partners

California Wine Month is celebrated by restaurant, retail, media and association partners in California and throughout the U.S. including:

Albertsons, Archer Hotel, California Avocados, California Figs, California Pears, California Restaurant Association, California Table Grapes, CellarPass, Charlie Palmer Steak, Compline, Dry Creek Kitchen, Epic Steak, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, GuildSomm, Ironwood, Lawrey’s Prime Rib, Oakville Grocery, Olea, Pavilions, Raley’s, Real California Milk, Restaurants Care, Safeway, San Francisco Wine School, Sapphire, Sky & Vine, SOMM Select, Vegan Vines, Vine Restaurant & Bar, Visit California, Visit Napa Valley, Vons, Women for WineSense, Women of the Vine & Spirits.

About Wine Institute

Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the association of 1,000 California wineries and wine-related businesses that initiate and advocate state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine.

SOURCE Wine Institute

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http://www.wineinstitute.org

https://www.visitcalifornia.com/uk/event/california-wine-month

https://discovercaliforniawines.com/discover-california/central-coast/san-francisco-bay/

https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/west/2020/08/31/299087.htm

https://www.ttb.gov/wine/american-viticultural-area-ava

https://fciwomenswrestling.com/

https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/

https://grapplingstars.com/

fciwomenswrestling2.com/ 

https://femcompetitor.com/

https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/wine-quotes