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.
Address: Burgstrasse, 65343 Eltville am Rhein, Germany, Rheingau
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.
A first-Sunday-in-June Champagne festival in Kiedrich, organised by the village's friendship association with Hautvillers in Champagne, with sparkling pours and local Rheingau Riesling Sekt alongside grower Champagne.
Tip: The Hautvillers twinning makes this rare in the Rheingau, a day to compare grower Champagne with German Sekt under one tent.
