What to pack for Napa Valley in September
September is harvest season in Napa Valley, and the busiest, most exciting time of year in wine country. The days are hot and sunny, often in the mid 80s or higher, but mornings start cool and foggy and evenings cool off quickly once the sun goes down.
So the list is built on smart-casual pieces with a light layer. Tasting rooms are relaxed but polished, and people dress well without dressing up. Mix in a darker color or a print that forgives a spill, shoes you can walk through a vineyard in, and something nicer for dinner.
Checked
The weather
- Daytime high
- 84°F
- 29°C. Heat waves push it well past 90°F.
- Overnight low
- 53°F
- 12°C. Mornings are cool and often foggy.
- Wet days
- ~1
- Harvest season is almost always dry.
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
- Sunset around 7:15pm.
The capsule
A long weekend, one traveler, Vineyard palette. Light blue and white with a deep red that forgives a spilled pour. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Denim jacket
Light cardigan
Tops
Linen shirt
Light-blue cotton shirt
Silk camisole
Bottoms
Wide-leg linen pants
Light jeans
Dresses
Wrap dress
Shoes
Espadrilles
Block-heel sandals
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Three or four smart-casual tops
- Linen pants or jeans
- A dress or outfit for a nicer dinner
- Light jacket or cardigan for mornings and evenings
- Swimsuit, if your hotel has a pool
Shoes
- Flat or wedge shoes you can walk a vineyard in
- Dressier shoes for dinner
Day bag
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- Refillable water bottle
- Snacks between tastings
- Small crossbody bag
Documents and tech
- ID; you will be asked for it
- Tasting and dinner reservations
- A driver, tour or car service booked ahead
- Padded wine bags, if you plan to fly bottles home
- Power bank
Toiletries
- Unscented products; skip the perfume
- Lip balm with SPF
- Any prescriptions
Gear worth the space
Espadrilles or wedges
Comfortable on gravel paths and uneven lawns, and smart enough for any tasting room.
A light layer
Cave tours and air-conditioned tasting rooms are cool, and so are the mornings and evenings.
A wide-brimmed hat
Afternoon tastings on sunny terraces are hot, and there is not always shade.
Padded wine bags
Reusable, light and the safest way to fly home with a few favorite bottles.
Foggy mornings, 84°F afternoons and tastings out among the vines. Packlier packs all of it for your dates.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.
One email at launch, nothing else.