A mid-June strawberry and wine festival in Erbach, part of the city of Eltville, pairing local strawberries with Rheingau Riesling and Spaetburgunder rose across a long weekend by the Rhine.
Tip: Drive over from Hattenheim or Oestrich-Winkel; Erbach is small, and parking on festival evenings fills fast, so go early.
Address: Erbach, 65346 Eltville am Rhein, Germany, Rheingau
A first-weekend-in-July sparkling-wine festival on the Eltville riverfront, with stands from Sekt houses including Schloss Vaux, Wegeler and other local Sekt makers pouring traditional-method Riesling and Spaetburgunder Sekt.
Tip: Combine the festival with a guided tour at Schloss Vaux a few streets back; both lean on traditional-method Riesling Sekt.
A second- or third-weekend-in-August village wine festival in Rauenthal above Eltville, with growers from the Rauenthaler Baiken and neighbouring sites pouring estate Riesling on the village street.
Tip: Rauenthal sits on the hill above Eltville with vineyard views over the Rhine; walk up before sundown rather than driving.
The Kappeskerb Weinlesefest in Eltville closes the harvest year on the last weekend in October, with a wine market and harvest fair through the old town along the Rhine.
Tip: Try the just-pressed Federweisser at the harvest stands; the cabbage-and-pork dishes named in Kappeskerb pair well with off-dry Riesling.
Second-weekend-in-July village wine festival in Martinsthal, a small Eltville district above the Rhine, pouring grower Riesling from the Martinsthaler Wildsau and surrounding slopes.
Tip: Martinsthal is the quietest of the Eltville district festivals; come for the village feel and the by-the-glass Wildsau Riesling.
An early-November autumn market held in Hochheim since 1484, mixing fairground, livestock and craft stalls with Rheingau wine pours over a long Friday-to-Tuesday weekend that draws close to half a million visitors.
Tip: Pair the fair with a tasting at Weingut Kuenstler or Domdechant Werner a short walk away to see why Hochheim is the Rheingau's eastern wine anchor.
A September village wine festival in Kiedrich pouring estate Riesling from local growers including Robert Weil, with stands across the church square in the historic Rheingau wine village.
Tip: Walk up the hill afterwards to the Robert Weil estate gates; the village is small enough to combine the festival with a Weil tasting in one afternoon.
Erdbeerfest Erbach runs 11 to 14 June. These are the wine tours and tastings in Rheingau to book for the days around it; most cancel free up to 24 hours ahead.
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