Three October weekends of Federweisser and Zwiebelkuchen on Ruedesheim's Drosselgasse and Marktplatz, with new-wine stands, onion-tart kitchens and live brass-band music through the old town.
Tip: Federweisser ferments in the cup, so drink it fresh and warm; pair every glass with a slice of Zwiebelkuchen from the church-square stands.
Address: Drosselgasse, 65385 Ruedesheim am Rhein, Germany, Rheingau
Ten days of Rheingau wine on Wiesbaden's Schlossplatz from the second Friday in August. Around 100 stands pour Rheingau Riesling, Spaetburgunder and Sekt directly from growers across the region.
Tip: Pace yourself over two evenings; the 100-stand layout under the Stadtschloss is too big for a single visit, and the square cools fast after dark.
A summer concert series from late June to early September across Rheingau wine estates and the Kloster Eberbach abbey, with classical, jazz and crossover programmes paired with estate Riesling and Spaetburgunder.
Tip: Book seats early for concerts inside the Kloster Eberbach basilica; the 12th-century church acoustics are the headline of the season.
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.
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.
