Travel thoughtfully · drink responsibly · 18+
When to visit
wine regions.
Harvest is magnetic, but it is not automatically the best time for a visitor. Spring brings open calendars and green landscapes; winter can bring makers back to the tasting room. This is a prompt to investigate—not a weather guarantee.
Every month links to the region guide behind it.
Harvest calendar
When the fruit is actually coming in — not always the same as the best visitor window. Southern-hemisphere regions pick while Europe is dormant. Book cellar doors early; harvest is a working season.
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douro Valley | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Burgundy | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Mendoza | March harvest | April harvest | ||||||||||
| Etna | October harvest | |||||||||||
| Mosel | August harvest | September harvest | ||||||||||
| Rioja Alavesa | September harvest | |||||||||||
| Champagne | August harvest | September harvest | ||||||||||
| Jerez | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Madeira | August harvest | September harvest | October harvest | |||||||||
| Stellenbosch | February harvest | March harvest | April harvest | |||||||||
| Sussex & Kent | August harvest | September harvest | ||||||||||
| Piedmont | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Alsace | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Northern Rhône | September harvest | |||||||||||
| Chianti Classico | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Tuscany | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Priorat | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Santorini | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Wachau | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Tokaj | September harvest | October harvest | ||||||||||
| Central Otago | February harvest | March harvest | April harvest |
Apr–Jun
Open calendars, green landscapes and makers who have time to talk.
- BurgundyFrance · best May — Jun · 3–5 days
- MendozaArgentina · best Mar — Apr · 5–7 days
- EtnaSicily, Italy · best May · Oct · 4–5 days
- Rioja AlavesaSpain · best May · Sep · 4–6 days
- JerezSpain · best Mar — May · Sep — Nov · 3–4 days
- MadeiraPortugal · best Apr — Oct · 4–7 days
- PiedmontItaly · best Sep — Nov · 4–6 days
- AlsaceFrance · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 3–5 days
- Northern RhôneFrance · best May — Jun · Sep · 3–4 days
- Chianti ClassicoItaly · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 3–5 days
- TuscanyItaly · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 5–7 days
- PrioratSpain · best Apr — May · Sep — Oct · 3–4 days
- SantoriniGreece · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 3–5 days
- WachauAustria · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 2–4 days
- TokajHungary · best Sep — Oct · 3–4 days
Jul–Aug
Long days and full river valleys — the busiest light, and the busiest roads.
- Douro ValleyPortugal · best Sep — Oct · 4–6 days
- BurgundyFrance · best May — Jun · 3–5 days
- MoselGermany · best Jun — Sep · 3–5 days
- ChampagneFrance · best Jun — Sep · 2–4 days
- MadeiraPortugal · best Apr — Oct · 4–7 days
- Sussex & KentEngland · best Jun — Sep · 2–3 days
- SantoriniGreece · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 3–5 days
Sep–Oct
Magnetic, but a working season: limited visits, tight diaries, real energy.
- EtnaSicily, Italy · best May · Oct · 4–5 days
- MoselGermany · best Jun — Sep · 3–5 days
- Rioja AlavesaSpain · best May · Sep · 4–6 days
- ChampagneFrance · best Jun — Sep · 2–4 days
- Sussex & KentEngland · best Jun — Sep · 2–3 days
- AlsaceFrance · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 3–5 days
- Northern RhôneFrance · best May — Jun · Sep · 3–4 days
- Chianti ClassicoItaly · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 3–5 days
- TuscanyItaly · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 5–7 days
- PrioratSpain · best Apr — May · Sep — Oct · 3–4 days
- WachauAustria · best May — Jun · Sep — Oct · 2–4 days
Nov–Mar
Quiet in the north, peak season in the south, and cellar doors that suddenly have time.
- MendozaArgentina · best Mar — Apr · 5–7 days
- JerezSpain · best Mar — May · Sep — Nov · 3–4 days
- MadeiraPortugal · best Apr — Oct · 4–7 days
- StellenboschSouth Africa · best Feb — Apr · 4–7 days
- Central OtagoNew Zealand · best Feb — Apr · 5–7 days
Dates worth building a trip around
Nine of the 21 regions have an event big enough to be the reason you go. These are the recurring rules — the third Sunday of November, the morning of 29 June — because a specific year’s dates are wrong by the following spring. Each links to the organiser for the current ones.
- MAR
Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia
The first week of March, annually since 1936 · Mendoza
Argentina's national harvest festival and the biggest event in Mendoza's year — processions, folk music and a crowd that fills the city.
Wines of Argentina - JUN
Batalla del Vino, Haro
The morning of 29 June, within the Fiesta de San Pedro · Rioja Alavesa
A wine fight, literally: tens of thousands of litres thrown over everyone present on the Riscos de Bilibio. Wear what you will never wear again.
Haro Wine Festival - JUN
English Wine Week
Late June · Sussex & Kent
A national week when vineyards that normally visit by appointment open properly — the single easiest time to do this region without planning.
WineGB - AUG
Foire aux Vins d'Alsace, Colmar
Ten days across late July and early August, since 1947 · Alsace
Over a thousand Alsatian wines under one roof with an open-air concert festival attached — less vineyard, more the region gathered in one place.
Foire aux Vins d'Alsace - SEP
Fiestas de la Vendimia
Around 8 September, running for roughly a fortnight · Jerez
The grape treading on the cathedral steps opens a festival that gives equal billing to wine, horses and flamenco. Running since 1948.
Fiestas de la Vendimia, Jerez - SEP
Madeira Wine Festival
Late August into mid-September · Madeira
Three weeks across Funchal and the villages, with the traditional grape treading at Estreito de Câmara de Lobos as the part worth travelling for.
Visit Madeira - OCT
Alba International White Truffle Fair
Weekends from mid-October to early December · Piedmont
The world truffle market runs every weekend for two months, which is also the best of Nebbiolo season — the two reasons to be here coincide.
Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba - NOV
Hospices de Beaune wine auction
The third Sunday of November · Burgundy
The oldest charity wine auction in the world, sold in 228-litre barrels, and the centre of the Trois Glorieuses weekend that closes the Burgundian year.
Hospices de Beaune - DEC
Habits de Lumière, Épernay
The second weekend of December · Champagne
The Avenue de Champagne lit up for three days, with the houses open and champagne bars along it. A reason to come in the one month nobody thinks of.
Habits de Lumière
Working backwards from a date?
The region matcher starts with your season and weighs style and pace against it. If you already know roughly where, the Douro guide and the other region guides each open with their own window. Compare those recommendations with historical weather evidence, kept separate from editorial judgement.