Wine Festivals
Encyclopedia
Annual wine
festivals celebrate viticulture
and usually occur after the harvest of the grapes which mainly is at the end of September until well into October. They are common in most wine regions around the world and are to be considered in the tradition of other harvest festivals. The oldest known cultivation of wine took place in the ancient Egypt
. The knowledge was passed on from there along the mediterreanen sea where over the nowaday territories of Israel
, Turkey
, Greece
it reached Rome
. Although already the Egyptians god Osiris
was dedicated to wine the oldest historically documented wine festivals can be traced back to the Greek celebrations for their wine god Dionysos. Until the very day drinking wine in company is the center of all wine festivals. It usually goes along with regional foods and music.
, and the extraction of the juice to produce wine, have become meaningful parts of mankind's history that is more than a food or drink. It is both rich in flavor, nutrients, and an icon symbolizing virtues used in religion and culture. Although the alcohol content could lead to intoxication, the festivals embody the enlightened spirit
of mankind.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
festivals celebrate viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and usually occur after the harvest of the grapes which mainly is at the end of September until well into October. They are common in most wine regions around the world and are to be considered in the tradition of other harvest festivals. The oldest known cultivation of wine took place in the ancient Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The knowledge was passed on from there along the mediterreanen sea where over the nowaday territories of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
it reached Rome
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. Although already the Egyptians god Osiris
Osiris
Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
was dedicated to wine the oldest historically documented wine festivals can be traced back to the Greek celebrations for their wine god Dionysos. Until the very day drinking wine in company is the center of all wine festivals. It usually goes along with regional foods and music.
In culture
The grapeGrape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
, and the extraction of the juice to produce wine, have become meaningful parts of mankind's history that is more than a food or drink. It is both rich in flavor, nutrients, and an icon symbolizing virtues used in religion and culture. Although the alcohol content could lead to intoxication, the festivals embody the enlightened spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
of mankind.
Competitions
- Concours Mondial de BruxellesConcours Mondial de BruxellesConcours Mondial de Bruxelles created in 1994, labeled the “wine world-championship” with 6000 participating products from the four continents, these samples represent more than 500 million marketed bottles...
- International Wine and Spirit CompetitionInternational Wine and Spirit CompetitionThe International Wine & Spirit Competition is an annual wine competition founded in 1969 by the [German/British] oenologist Anton Massel.. Each year the competition receives entries from over 80 countries worldwide. The awards given by the competition are considered to be some of the highest...
- Varsity blind wine tasting matchVarsity blind wine tasting matchThe Varsity Blind Wine Tasting Match is an annual competition in blind wine tasting between the blind tasting teams of the Oxford University Blind Wine Tasting Society and the Cambridge University Blind Wine Tasting Society...
Australian festivals
- Caxton Street Seafood and Wine FestivalCaxton Street Seafood and Wine FestivalThe Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival nominated on Queensland's Q150 Iconic list began as a small community event in 1994. By 2009, the Festival attracted close to 15000 patrons...
- Kings Cross Food and Wine Festival
- Melbourne Food and Wine FestivalMelbourne Food and Wine FestivalLaunched in 1993, the annual Melbourne Food and Wine Festival is one of Victoria’s hallmark events. Each March the festival celebrates Melbourne and Victoria’s vibrant food and wine culture...
Canadian festivals
German festivals
- BadenBaden (wine region)Baden is a region for quality wine in Germany, and is located in the historical region of Baden in southwestern Germany, which today forms part of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg...
- Mosel
- Moselfest, Winningen
- Weinfest der Mittelmosel, Bernkastel-Kues
- PalatinatePalatinate (wine region)Palatinate is a German wine-growing region in the area of Bad Dürkheim, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, and Landau in Rhineland-Palatinate. Before 1993, it was known as Rhine Palatinate . With under cultivation in 2008, the region is the second largest wine region in Germany after Rheinhessen...
- Backfischfest , Worms
- Burg- und Weinfest, Wachenheim
- Deidesheimer Weinkerwe, Deidesheim
- Deutsches Weinlesefest, Neustadt
- Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt, Bad Dürkheim
- Eselshautfest, Mußbach
- Fest des Federweißen, Landau
- Kändelgassenfest, Großkarlbach
- Mandelblütenfest, Gimmeldingen
- Stadtmauerfest, Freinsheim
- RheingauRheingau (wine region)Rheingau is one of 13 German wine regions for quality wines . Named for the traditional region of Rheingau , the wine region is situated in the state of Hesse, where it makes up part of the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis administrative district...
- Rheingauer Weinwoche, Wiesbaden
- RheinhessenRheinhessen (wine region)Rheinhessen is the largest of 13 German wine regions for quality wines with under cultivation in 2008. Named for the traditional region of Rhenish Hesse, it lies on the left bank of the River Rhine between Worms and Bingen in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate...
- Weinmarkt Mainz, MainzMainzMainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
- Winzerfest, Groß-Umstadt
- Weinmarkt Mainz, Mainz
- SaxonySaxony (wine region)Saxony is a region for quality wine in Germany located in the German federal state of Saxony. The region is sometimes referred to colloquially as the Elbtal . The wine region covers , which makes it Germany's third smallest region, just ahead of Mittelrhein and Hessische Bergstraße in size...
- Herbst- und Weinfest, Radebeul
- WürttembergWürttemberg (wine region)Württemberg is a region for quality wine in Germany, and is located in the historical region of Württemberg in southwestern Germany, which today forms part of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. Under German wine legislation, Württemberg and Baden are separate wine regions.With under vine in...
Italian festivals
- Fiesta Nacional de la VendimiaFiesta Nacional de la VendimiaFiesta Nacional de la Vendimia takes place annually in Mendoza Province, Argentina. It is one of the most important festivals in the country attracting large numbers of tourists to the region...
- Feria Nacional de San MarcosFeria Nacional de San MarcosThe Feria Nacional de San Marcos is a national fair held in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes every year for three weeks. Most of the events related to the fair, however, occur in the city of Aguascalientes, the state capital...
- Haro Wine FestivalHaro Wine FestivalHaro Wine Festival is a festival in the town of Haro in the La Rioja region of northern Spain. It is held every year in the summer and involves wine drinking competitions and contests and a Batalla de Vino where wines are poured at each other from buckets.The celebration takes place on June 29,...
- Limassol wine festival
- Santiago de SurcoSantiago de SurcoSantiago de Surco, commonly known simply as Surco, is a district of Lima, Peru. It is bordered on the north by the districts of La Molina, Ate and San Borja; on the south by Chorrillos; on the east by La Molina, Villa María del Triunfo and San Juan de Miraflores; and on the west by San Borja,...
- Vendemmia Festival Sicily, Sicily, Italy
United States festivals
- Boston wine festivalBoston wine festivalThe Boston Wine Festival, founded by Chef Daniel Bruce in 1989 is held annually at the Boston Harbor Hotel, is one of the nation's longest-running wine and food pairing series. Spanning three and a half months and including multiple events each week, the Boston Wine Festival celebrated its...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Maryland Wine Festival, MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Paso Robles Wine Festival, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine FestivalTemecula Valley Balloon & Wine FestivalThe Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival is held annually, the first weekend of June at Lake Skinner Recreation Area in the Southern California Temecula Valley AVA...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Food Network South Beach Wine and Food FestivalFood Network South Beach Wine and Food FestivalThe Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival is an annual wine and spirits events showcasing many of the world's top chefs, spirits producers, and culinary personalities. The event is hosted by Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management...
- Art of Food & Wine Palm DesertArt of Food & Wine Palm DesertThe Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert is an annual gathering of art, food and wine enthusiasts in Southern California’s Coachella Valley. The four-day event features food and wine tastings, art exhibitions, celebrity chef demonstrations, culinary seminars, music, shopping and golf.The 2009 event was...
- Tallahassee Wine and Food FestivalTallahassee Wine and Food FestivalThe Tallahassee Wine and Food Festival is an annual two-day charitable event held in November in Tallahassee, Florida, USA which began in 1995.- Non-profit affiliations :...
- San Diego Bay Wine & Food FestivalSan Diego Bay Wine & Food FestivalThe San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is an international showcase of wine and spirits, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods, produced by World of Wine Events, LLC...
- Naples Grape FestivalNaples Grape FestivalNaples Grape Festival is an annual festival in Naples, New York, United States, dedicated to grapes. The town of Naples is in the center of Finger Lakes American Viticultural Area , a region known for grape-growing and wine making in the Finger Lakes area of Upstate New York.The festival, which...
- Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival, Keystone, ColoradoKeystone, ColoradoKeystone is a census-designated place in Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 825 at the 2000 census. The Dillon Post Office serves Keystone postal addresses....
- Vendemmia Festival Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
- Vendemmia Festival Societa' DaVinci, Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, DelawareWilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
Other festivals
- Médanos, Buenos AiresMédanos, Buenos AiresMédanos is a town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The town hosts the "Fiesta Nacional del Ajo" and is located in the Buenos Aires wines area that has started producing premium wines at the beginning of the 21st century....
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... - Médanos, Buenos AiresMédanos, Buenos AiresMédanos is a town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The town hosts the "Fiesta Nacional del Ajo" and is located in the Buenos Aires wines area that has started producing premium wines at the beginning of the 21st century....
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... - Wine Festival of CyprusWine Festival of CyprusThe Wine Festival of Cyprus is an annual festival in Limassol, Cyprus that celebrates wine and winemaking.The festival was first organized in 1961 and since then it has become an established annual event of merrymaking and fun, in which the citizens of Limassol are not the only participants;...
, GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... - Qormi Wine Festival, MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
- Zielona Góra Wine FestZielona Góra Wine FestThe Zielona Góra Wine Fest is a wine festival held in the Polish town of Zielona Góra. The tradition is related to the period of harvest of grapes from the local vineyards which were then turned into wine. The first festival took place in October 1852...
, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
External links
- Hamburger Abendblatt
- Vendemmia Festival Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA
- Vendemmia Festival Sicily Italy
- Vendemmia Festival Societa' DaVinci of Wilmington Delaware USA
- Dallas Texas Annual Beaujolais Wine Festival
- New Orleans Louisiana, French Quarter Wine Festival
- La Vendemmia wrapped up Sept 28 with the Grape Stomp relay race and a wine and food show at Sala San Marco
- List of Balkan Wine Festivals