Wine regions and wine tasting in the Grand Est

💡 January: An ideal season for the cellars: the temperature stays stable and tours are less busy. Around 22 January, the feast of Saint Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers, is marked in Champagne by a parade of wine brotherhoods, in a village that changes from year to year.

💡 February: The vines are dormant and the winegrowers are pruning; it is a quiet month, well suited to cellar tours in Reims and Épernay and to tastings at Alsace wine cellars, preferably by appointment.

💡 March: The vineyards slowly wake up: make the most of the still-quiet roads to drive the Alsace Wine Route or climb the Verzenay Lighthouse (check seasonal opening times).

💡 April: The first fine days launch the cycling season in the vineyards; bring a warm layer, as mornings remain chilly at the foot of the Vosges.

💡 May: The perfect month for cycling the Véloroute du Vignoble or walking around Les Riceys, among cadoles (dry-stone vineyard huts) and green hillsides. The long May bank holiday weekends fill accommodation quickly: book early.

💡 June: Long evenings and vines in full growth: ideal for combining a bike ride, the panorama from the Verzenay Lighthouse and a tasting of Rosé des Riceys at a winegrower’s.

Also in season: Colmar Wine Fair

💡 July: Peak tourist season: set off early in the morning to avoid the heat on your bike. The Alsace Wine Fair in Colmar is usually held in late July–early August (in 2026, from 31 July to 9 August).

💡 August: In early August, the Colmar Wine Fair is in full swing. The harvest is starting earlier and earlier: in 2026 Champagne began picking in August, a record for earliness; some houses cut back their tours at that time.

💡 September: The month of the grape harvest and wine festivals: on the first Sunday of September, Ribeauvillé celebrates the Pfifferdaj. As winegrowers are very busy, phone before turning up at the estate.

Also in season: Cycling the Alsace Wine Route

💡 October: The vines turn gold and red: a wonderful time to explore the Alsace Wine Route by car or by bike, with fewer visitors than in summer.

Also in season: Pfifferdaj – Ribeauvillé Minstrels’ Festival

💡 November: A quiet and often wet month in the vineyards: favour cellar tours in Reims and Épernay, and the Alsace wine cellars before the Christmas market crowds.

Also in season: Cycling the Alsace Wine RoutePfifferdaj – Ribeauvillé Minstrels’ Festival

💡 December: On 11, 12 and 13 December 2026, Épernay lights up the Avenue de Champagne for Habits de Lumière; in Colmar, the Cuvée Givrée, the winter edition of the Wine Fair, takes place from 27 to 30 December 2026. Book cellars and accommodation early.