A Calistoga passport gives vino fans a chance to ‘Winter in the Wineries'

WINE TASTINGS AND AUTUMN? Talk about a time-honored pairing, a delicious duo that is about as iconic as sip-and-season twosomes get. The annual time of crush keeps wineries on our minds as does the golden approach of fall, and all of the harvest activities can spur a spontaneous vineyard visit in September and October. But devoted oenophiles also adore the calendar's chiller stretches, including those times of the year that are, well, chillier. Wineries across California have whimsical and enticing winter events on their calendars, including a wine-rich destination that is synonymous, in many minds, with the season 'o sweaters: Calistoga.

WINTER IN THE WINERIES: If you're a Calistoga maven, then you may have heard of the area's cool-weather offering, a multi-week passport that gives locals and visitors a taste-by-taste view of what the wine country has to offer. The passport name says it all — Winter in the Wineries — but you'll want to look closer at the nineteen participating wineries and what to expect from the program, which will shimmer through Feb. 9, 2025 (it just opened in early December). "Each $80 passport contains over $800 worth of tasting alone!" is the tempting call to action, but you'll need to determine if you'd like a digital passport or a physical version.

THE EASY STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS... for purchasing your passport, then stopping by a winery and trying a few tastes, is clearly depicted on this page. As for the participants? Charles Krug Winery, Tank Garage Winery, and Picayune Cellars & Mercantile are on the list. Eager to stay close? Here are some of the hotel and resort deals created just for passport holders.