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.
Winemaker Martin Störzel will guide you on this fascinating tour, which lasts around three hours and takes place on Saturdays from April to October, through the beauti...
Discover wine like never before, with a guide, regional wines in tow, and breathtaking views during the tour.
For the OHLIG sparkling wine cellar, sparkling wine is an expression of pure joie de vivre and therefore something very special.
