September is a glorious month to travel. The summer crowds have ceased, the lovely weather is still holding out and there is a fresh, back-to-school feeling in the air. Time for something new? If you’re a wine lover, we have just the thing - a fall trip to Europe that showcases the festivals of the season. The theme? Red, white and rosé! Join in the merry-making, music, dance and centuries-old traditions that go into regionally nuanced wine festivals, from Heritage Night in St, Emilion, France, to the 900-year-old harvest fest in La Rioja, Spain, the Feria de San Mateo.
With each festival lasting several days, it’s easy to create a custom trip that allows for visits to several celebrations. Read on for our seven favorites and imagine yourself at each, sipping varietals with the locals, indulging in harvest-inspired meals and staying in adorable inns and chalets. Then, let’s chat to arrange your personalized itinerary that will take you into the heart of the festivities.
Heritage Night, St. Emilion, France
Stay in Bordeaux, that renowned center of wine-making, when attending this lively festival in the medieval village of St. Emilion. The locals gather to honor Emilion, a monk who, in the 8th century, carved out a gigantic monolith that still stands in the village. A church stands atop the monolith, underneath which were carved underground caves, catacombs, passageway and, you guessed it, wine cellars. Emilion’s successors got very into winemaking, a tradition that has passed down through generations and has inspired a festival that includes a parade of winemakers in red robes and white capes, who climb the tower of the church and announce the date when the harvest will begin.
Douro Film Harvest, Portugal
If you watched a movie with a glass of wine at your side this past weekend, you’ll love the Douro Film Harvest in the Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia area of Portugal. The grapes here are turned into port wine, and often brandy. In September, the unique film and wine festival gets underway, celebrating at once great cinema, great food and great grapes. Port wine flows freely, food samplings abound and film competitions draw the likes of director Oliver Stone.
Fiestas de San Mateo, La Rioja, Spain
Combine the Douro Film Harvest with a stop in La Rioja, in the northern part of Spain. This important wine-growing region is in the Ebro River valley between medieval villages and the Cantabrian Mountains. In the capital of the La Rioja province - Logrono - the nine-centuries-old Feria de San Mateo starts on September 21st, St. Matthew’s Day. The whole province turns out for lively wine treading, processions, fireworks, wine tastings and plenty of opportunities to taste the region’s delicacies, like slow-cooked chicken in, what else, white-wine sauce.
Jerez Harvest Festival, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Zip down to the south of Spain for this Andalusian festival in an area known for its fine sherry. While you can taste sherry in the Spanish bodegas (wineries) any time of year, it might taste extra lovely during this September festival. The Queen of Sherry is shown off with her handmaiden on a tour through town, which ends at the Plaza del Arena as Her Majesty throws the first bunch of grapes into the press and signifies the start of harvest month. This festival is three weeks long, so it’s easy to catch some of it during a September wine harvest trip to experience the flamenco, parades, concerts, exhibitions, tapas and tastings firsthand.
Marathon du Medoc, France
At just three days, this is one of the more truncated wine festivals in Europe, but the active travelers among you will love it. Marathoners dressed up in wine garb - think wine leaves and bunches of grapes - take to the course in a less-than-competitive race. Pit stops along the way offer food and wine stalls. Paulliac is one of the favorite stops, with dining, drinking and dancing late into the night. Not running? No worries. Watch the athletes, then take a side trip to the beautiful chateaux in the region that open up their cellars and tasting rooms over the course of these three lively days.
Grape Festival, Impruneta, Italy
Tack this one-day Tuscany festival on to your oenophile festival tour for its white truffles as much as its wines. The tiny village of Impruneta, in the heart of the historic Chianti Classico zone between Florence and Siena, celebrates its grape fest on the last Sunday in September each year. Don’t miss the eye-catching parade, during which floats piled with huge wicker baskets are filled with grapes from four different Impruneta districts.
Boppard Wine Festival, Germany
Fans of riesling and rare ice wine won’t want to miss the Boppard Wine Festival, on the left bank of the Rhine. The town itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, adding extra appeal to your visit. Join with the locals in the market square for the low-key (as compared to other European wine celebrations!) Fall Wine Festival during the last week of September and first week of October. While you won’t find parades and processions here, you will find plenty of wine, cheese and sausage sampling.
Whether it’s with a salud, prost, saluti or felicidades, these wine harvest festivals throughout Europe are waiting for you to raise a glass. Let’s talk about how best to combine a few, if not all, of the celebrations in a food- and wine-focused European trip for you this September.
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