The Most Famous Wine Events in the World

Around the globe, vintners and wine experts are on hand to both celebrate and share new vintages and older favorites at wine festivals which offer plenty of wine tastings, vintage-specific food pairings and educational wine-themed seminars to deepen your understanding of the wonders of fermented grape juice.

Singapore Wine Fiesta, Singapore

Held in over a weekend in October every year, this is Singapore’s largest outdoor wine festival. There are more than 300 wines from around the world to be sampled alongside gourmet food at the riverfront venue. You can try award-winning Rose from Provence, fabulous Riesling from Germany, and even British sparkling wine from London. The Wine Circle is a series of free winemaker talks and guided tastings where producers.

Vineyard to Vintner, California

The Vineyard to Vintner festival takes place in the Napa Valley over a three day weekend in April. This is a rare opportunity for wine enthusiasts to gain access to the homes and wineries of some of the people behind this iconic wine region, with private tours, food pairings, and barrel tastings. At the end of the festival, it is possible to purchase wines.

In 2018, Vineyard to Vintner hosting wineries include Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Vineyards, Odette Estate, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Stags’ Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards.

La Batalla del Vino, Spain

The ‘Batalla del Vino’ which translates as the ‘Battle of Wine’, is a historic wine festival held each June in the medieval town of Haro, Rioja. This not a festival for the faint-hearted. The 300-year-old festival is more about wearing wine than drinking it as it involves climbing to the top of a mountain, wearing white, and soaking other festival-goers in red wine using bottles, jugs, and squirt guns. Water trucks filled with wine roam the streets helping anyone in need of refills.

Festa dell’Uva, Italy

Begun in 1926, this Tuscan festival in September celebrates the grape. The main parade sees the Chianti district decorating a huge float. It is also possible to taste wines and local products in the traditional cellars along with traditional and original dishes. There are entertainments including music and dancing as well as expert sommeliers offering tastings of the best Italian wines. With labels from various regions, this is an opportunity to take an oenological tour of Italy without needing to travel.

Bordeaux Wine Festival, France

In June 2018, the Tall Ships Regatta finished its journey in Bordeaux during the wine festival, providing another excuse to celebrate. The Bordeaux Wine Festival features a two-kilometre Wine Road that goes along the Garonne river, showcasing 80 vineyards from the Bordeaux and other wine regions. Here there are tasting sessions, wine workshops, outdoor reading rooms and concerts.

La Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, Argentina

Every March, Argentina’s wine capital of Mendoza hosts a fiesta in celebration of the grape harvest. There is grape blessing, music, folk dancing, laser shows and a fair number of parades taking place alongside the wine tasting. There is a promenade for the coronation of a new Queen of the Grape Harvest, chosen from women nominated by each of the region’s eighteen departments. Another highlight of the fiesta is Acto Central, which is a performance by hundreds of actors and dancers in a huge array of light, colour and fireworks.

La Nuit En Rose, USA

The world’s first festival dedicated to rose wines and champagne takes place every July. The three day festival in 2018 took place in Los Angeles and Miami and featured a four-course dinner paired with Château d’Esclans and a weekend of sunset cruises on the Hudson, each with a selection of over one hundred rosé wines.

RAW, London UK

Founded by Master of Wine Isabelle Legeron, this artisan wine celebrates what it calls “wines with emotion”. Held annually in London each May it features over 150 producers from around the world. All the wines conform to RAW’s Charter of Quality which includes specifications on hand harvesting grapes, eco-friendly farming techniques, and foregoing manipulation during the winemaking process