The winemakers’ and wine lovers’ most active and most loved season just started few weeks ago, that means it is time to harvest in some of the most amazing destinations of the world.
For wine lovers, harvest is an exceptional opportunity to get involved during the most important day of the year for winemakers. The day you pick the grapes from the vines is decisive because it determines the style of wine you’ll make, its quality and character later in life.
Are you interested in attending harvest? Grape picking, grape crushing and witnessing how wine is made? We have prepared a list of our favourite tours around the world to enjoy the harvest time. We hope you love them as much as we do.
FRANCE
Participate in Harvest day in Medoc, and of leave your mark on a new vintage with this full-day harvest tour. Harvest time is one of the busiest and most hectic times of the year for the chateaux in Bordeaux. You will be trained by the chief viticulturist and be taught how to harvest with efficiency and elegance one of the plots of the property.
3-Day Harvest tour in Champagne
Visit some of the best Champagne wineries and enjoy wine tastings, special dinners and stay in a hotel in the beautiful vineyards. You will also visit Hautvillers and Dom Perignon’s Grave, Reims Cathedral and Tau Palace (Classified by UNESCO), the museum and lighthouse at the Mill and Lighthouse in Verzenay, and much more. If you are a Champagne lover you can’t miss this extraordinary experience!
3-Day Harvest Wine Break in the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is the perfect destination for nature and culture lovers alike! You’ll find here one of the finest stretches of France’s longest river and its remarkable surroundings. A living cultural landscape, honoured by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Uncover the secrets of Loire Valley wines with this harvest tour. With 800 km of road in the middle of the vineyards, the region is a real invitation to travel and taste fine wines.
PORTUGAL
Harvest Time in the Douro Valley
Enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience in the Douro Valley that includes grape stomping and harvesting in the vineyards and a lunch inspired by the customs and traditions of this wonderful region while listening local songs and witnessing local traditions.
3-Day Port Wine Harvest in the Douro Valley
Admire the spectacular views of the Douro Valley and participate in the harvest with this amazing tour. You will stay in one of the most appealing Quintas (wine estate) of the Douro, located close to the small village of Pinhao, well-known for its railway station and its famous azulejos. Lose yourself in the maze of picturesque valleys, visit the Palacio da Bolsa and the contemporary art museum.
Douro Valley Grape Harvest – Private Event
Do not miss the opportunity to be part of a once in a lifetime experience in the Douro Valley, that includes grape harvesting and stomping. Your journey will start with a visit to the town of Amarante, where you will admire the Romanesque architecture, the Monastery of São Goncalo and the Roman Bridge. Continuing to Pinhao, you will visit an award winning winery where harvest is in full force. You will have the opportunity to taste the wines of the estate, appreciating all the hard work that goes into this process that you were part of!
SLOVENIA AND CROATIA
1-Day Wine, Food and Harvest Tour
There’s no better time of year to immerse in this culinary utopia than the harvest season. This unique tour features a variety of home-cooked dinners, special meals, strolls in the beautiful wine country, wine tastings and an array of other tastings including honey, olive oil, jams, fruits and truffles. A special invitation into the history, wine making traditions and culinary magic of Slovenia and Croatia.
SPAIN
2-Day Rioja and Navarra Harvest Wine Tour with 6 Rioja Wines Gift
Discover the beautiful Rioja and Navarra regions and taste amazing wines with this delightful wine tour. Some of the highlights of the tour include a visit some of the most interesting wineries in Navarra for a winery tour and wine tasting. You will also visit the town and museum of Olite before enjoying a delicious lunch at a typical restaurant and travel to a wonderful old winery in the centre of Logroño.
ITALY
Grape Harvest Experience in Tuscany
This three-night break gives you the chance to enjoy the Vendemmia (grape harvest) in Tuscany. This is one of the most charming and interesting wine experiences available and is the perfect trip for Tuscan wine lovers. The beautiful Conti San di Bonifacio will serve as your luxurious hotel during your stay. With their on-site winery and vineyard you’ll get the chance to explore the grounds and discover the grape harvest. You’ll be treated to a half day harvest experience and a full day Bolgheri tour, you can’t miss this unforgettable experience!
Fattoria Viticcio is situated in the prestigious area of Chianti Classico, between Florence and Siena. Surrounded by the beautiful hills of Greve, woods and olive trees, this beautiful Fattoria is spread over 60 hectares, half of which are planted with organic vineyards. During the harvest, you will have the opportunity to take a short trip to the vineyards to see the picking and maybe try to cut few clusters, and see the grapes coming to the press and the cellars.
HUNGARY
Harvest Season Food and Wine Experience
Enjoy the chance to sample the traditional flavours and culture of Hungary in four regions: Budapest, Etyek, Eger, and Tokaj with this 7-day harvest food and wine tour. The exciting itinerary includes a tour Budapest’s spectacular Central Market Hall, a visit of one of the country’s finest cheesemakers and the lovely wine regions of Etyek and Eger, where you will enjoy a cooking class (accompanied by a wine tasting) in a wine cellar. Eger is one of Hungary’s loveliest Baroque towns, we are sure you will love it!
ENGLAND
English Harvest Experience
Have you ever wanted to discover the intricate secrets involved in the production of wine? How about exploring behind the scenes at a winery? At Tinwood Estate in Sussex let your love of wine extend beyond simply tasting as you learn the art and science of winemaking from experienced professionals. Join the Harvest of Grapes in the stunning English countryside – a fantastic experience for wine-lovers to discover English sparkling wine.