Wine Festivals in July 2026

Sussex — the epicentre of English sparkling wine — hosts this celebration of its chalky-soiled vineyards along the South Downs. Producers like Nyetimber, Wiston, Ridgeview, and Rathfinny pour their award-winning blanc de blancs and rosé fizz. Vineyard tours, sabrage demonstrations, and local charcuterie make it a quintessentially English affair.

A summer tasting event at the Santo Wines cooperative, perched on the Santorini caldera rim with views of the volcano and sunset. Santorini's volcanic Assyrtiko wines are the star, paired with Greek meze and live music as the sun sets over the Aegean. One of the most spectacular wine tasting settings on Earth.

The most extraordinary wine festival in the world — staged only once a generation (roughly every 20-25 years) in Vevey on Lake Geneva, listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The 2019 edition gathered 355,000 visitors over 16 performances in a purpose-built 20,000-seat arena for a theatrical celebration of Swiss viticulture. Past intervals: 1999, 1977, 1955, 1927 — the next occurrence is expected circa 2039-2044.

The 44th Annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is one of Hawaii's oldest and most distinguished culinary events, combining world-class wine seminars with celebrity chef cooking demonstrations in a resort setting overlooking the Pacific. The four-day July event features a VIP winemakers' reception, a Grand Tasting Gala, and intimate masterclasses led by internationally recognized vintners and chefs — all at sea level in one of Maui's most scenic resort communities. The $1,250 all-inclusive festival pass delivers exceptional value for the caliber of talent.

The world's premier Pinot Noir event, held on the campus of Linfield University in McMinnville since 1987. Three days of masterclasses, al fresco meals prepared by top chefs, and blind tastings featuring 70+ Pinot Noir producers from Oregon, Burgundy, and beyond. A bucket-list event for Pinot lovers.

An intimate mountain food and wine event held each summer at Mountain Village — the ski resort community perched above Telluride at 9,500 feet — Telluride Reserve attracts a curated mix of Michelin-starred chefs, James Beard Award winners, sommeliers, and artisan producers for three days of tastings, seminars, and chef dinners. With a maximum of around 400 guests and gondola access to the festival grounds, it delivers an exclusive high-altitude experience unavailable anywhere else. Multiple ticket tiers accommodate both full immersion and à la carte event selection.

In the high-altitude vineyards of São Joaquim, Santa Catarina (at 1,400m elevation), this winter festival celebrates Brazil's most exciting new wine frontier. Altitude wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc grown in volcanic soils rival traditional regions. The crisp mountain air, occasional frost, and dramatic highland scenery create a unique tasting experience quite unlike the tropical Brazil most visitors expect.

Japan's most prestigious wine competition and accompanying public tasting festival, held in Kōshū, the heartland of Japanese winemaking in Yamanashi Prefecture. Over 700 wines from across Japan are judged, and the public tasting event allows visitors to sample award-winners alongside local food. The event has been instrumental in raising the profile of Japanese wine internationally.