California is famous for its aromatic wines and stunning views of vineyards across the horizon. Visitors come from all over the world to taste our outstanding versions of Syrah, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. These wineries take it one step further and let you be the winemaker for the day! Mark your calendar and bring home a bottle of your very own wine.
Canyon Crest Winery: Lets you bottle your own vintage and create your own label. Choose a vintage from dozens of available varietals or pitch the yeast on the grape juice to make your own custom wine. Then after a few weeks (with your friends or family) you return to bottle, cork, and cap your own personal vintage.
Judd's Hill in Napa: At this winery off the Silverado Trail, visitors taste barrel samples and then mix their own blends with the help of staff.
Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma: Visitors get to taste grapes, create and bottle their own wine along with a special blending course given by the winemaker.
Conn Creek Winery in Napa Valley: Conn Creek has won the Best of Wine Tourism award for their blending experience. Included in the session is an overview of Napa Valley AVA by a wine educator, guided walk-around barrel tasting, instructions on blending techniques, bottle your own custom blend and a tasting of Conn Creek's current releases.
Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena : This winery offers a blending room to guests who sign up to be a "Winemaker for a Day." Visitors learn the winemaking art while blending their own red wine from Napa's appellations. After the blending class guests get to take home a bottle of their blend with a custom designed label and they can order a case of their personally crafted wine to share.
Pasadena Neighborhood Winery: With a state of the art, fully-equipped wine making room and expert wine makers, visitors experience the fun of making their own great tasting wine in as little as eight weeks.
The Winemakers Studio in Livermore Valley: Uncork your inner winemaker at one of their “Blending Sessions” at The Winemakers Studio at Wente Vineyards. In this session, you’ll taste, evaluate, and blend estate blocks of wine to create your very own bottle of wine.
Franciscan Estate in Napa Valley: For visitors on a tight schedule Franciscan Estates offers a one hour class on blending. In this hands-on seminar you'll play winemaker for an hour, exploring different blends with five classic Bordeaux varietals.
Also, make sure to check out some of the upcoming California wine festivals.