In his 2005 book, ‘A Wine Miscellany’, author, Graham Harding argues: “wine is not just ‘the fermented juice of grapes’.”
The journey from vine to glass is a matter of science and circumstance. There are a wide number of species of vines which bears a variety of grapes, known as varietals. For instance, the Chardonnay grape is green and produces white or ‘blanc’, Chardonnay wine. Each varietal, affected by soil type, climate, wind, farming practices and other factors, produces various characteristics. In South Africa, it is not legal to add flavourants. As such, when Chardonnay is said to exhibit vanilla, for instance, certain winemaking processes might exhibit that character. For example, aging, or maturing wine in wood can produce certain tastes and smells.
National Harvest Festival: the main celebration of Mendoza’s identity
The traditions, the harvest and the production of wine are reflected annually in Mendoza, in a great artistic event praised internationally. It is a season of popular festivals in all the streets of Mendoza and a time to enjoy with friends and family. The National...
Harvest Festivals are Autumn Highlights in Rioja
Wine is the heart and soul of the Rioja designation of origin, blessed with ideal conditions for growing grapes of outstanding quality. Wine festivals are our way of celebrating the blessings of Nature’s bounty.
Welcome to Wine Harvest in the Douro and Vinho Verde regions: a season of culture, tradition and experiences!
The harvest represents one of the most festive and traditional seasons in our wine regions and covers all the activities that take place between the picking of the grapes and the production of wine.
Harvest festivals aren’t only for the pickers
There was a time when properties weren’t keen to open up their doors to visitors during harvest time. There’s a lot going on, pipes and pumps all over the cellar floor, busy cellar rats checking on fermentation temperatures, grapes arriving and general activity. More and more properties now realise just how much wine enthusiasts love this time. They love to the see the cellars in action rather than as hushed dark and cavernous halls of silent barrels of ageing wine or gleaming tanks waiting for the next weeks of activity.
For two days Casablanca will be Chile’s wine tourism capital with its 2024 Harvest Festival
In april, thousands of people are expected to gather in Chile’s central valley to exchange news from more than 12 prestigious and award-winning national wineries. A festival of aromas, flavors and colors is what can be experienced next april, in central Chile’s...
Hawke’s Bay wine harvest celebrated with festivals and events
As the vineyards of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, prepare for their annual harvest, the region comes alive with a vibrant burst of colour, energy and anticipation.
Barossa Vintage Festival celebrates harvest in style
The grape harvest is a reason to celebrate for grape growers and winemakers across South Australia’s 18 wine regions, but the Barossa takes the celebration to another level.
Honouring the harvest season in Verona with Festival “Hostaria”
Every year, in October, the city of Verona celebrates the harvest period with a marvellous festival: “Hostaria”. During this particular weekend, the city honours harvest and the territory’s wineries, enabling visitors to experience the historical and cultural importance of harvesting in this region, accompanying them through various tastes, flavours and memorable experiences.
Harvest traditions in Rheinhessen – an occasion to celebrate
Rheinhessen has both harvest traditions and festivals. Find out more about them here.
At the Heart of the Harvest
On the weekends of 23-24 September and 30 September/1st October, the third national “At the Heart of the Harvest” autumnal fair took place, organised by Swiss Wine Promotion (SWP), the Swiss wines national body. This year, the organisers were able to rely on thirty-nine Swiss wineries to welcome more than nine-hundred and fifty apprentice grape harvesters.
A bigger picture – Making Bordeaux inclusive
It’s understandable that vineyards look to their natural environment when thinking about sustainability, it’s a tangible and sometimes urgent challenge, but a broader definition of sustainability includes people.