With the arrival of autumn, Italy returns to celebrate one of its most identity-defining products: wine. It is harvest time, the magnificent villages come to life, the wineries open their doors to visitors, and fairs bring onto the square grapes, glasses, local recipes, and ancient traditions. There are numerous 2026 events that allow pairing a day trip with a discovery of the wine regions.
We have selected ten festivals and events to note on your calendar, ranging from major enotourism happenings to historic fairs. A chance to learn about denominations and grape varieties, to sample excellent regional specialties, and to experience the harvest atmosphere in the most evocative period of the year.
Wineries Open for Harvest
Until October 25, 2026, the wineries of the Movimento Turismo del Vino will open their doors during the liveliest weeks of the year. The Cantine Aperte in Vendemmia initiative allows visitors to follow the journey of the grape from the vineyard to the winery, through harvest, crushing, fermentation and early tastings.
The program varies from place to place and includes educational harvests, tastings, picnics among the vines, walks, music, lunches and dinners in the vineyard. There are also family-friendly options, with activities for children and chances to experience the countryside. A novel way to discover Italian wine right where it is produced.
65th Monferrato Wine Festival (AL)
Casale Monferrato will host the 65th Monferrato Wine Festival on September 18, 19 and 20 and on September 25, 26 and 27, 2026. In Piazza Castello and at Mercato Pavia, 30 producers of Monferrato wine and 31 Pro Loco associations will be the protagonists, with thousands of seats and a rich gastronomic itinerary.
Beside the wine glasses, some of the most representative dishes of the Monferrato cuisine will be featured, from agnolotti to panissa, from friciulin to mixed fried foods, up to bagna cauda. The festival thus offers a way to discover the territory through its most authentic pairing: wine and local cuisine.
Participants in the event will also have the opportunity to crown the “Wine of the Festival 2026.”
140th Merano Grape Festival (Bolzano, BZ)
From October 16 to 18, 2026, Merano will celebrate 140 years of the Grape Festival. The festival, born in 1886, is one of the city’s most deeply rooted traditions and in 2026 will return with a program intertwining memory and modernity.
The festival will offer music and folklore, autumn specialties and initiatives that tell the local culture, in an atmosphere capable of uniting tradition with openness toward the future. The most characteristic moment will be Sunday with the parade featuring allegorical floats, bands and groups in traditional costumes, turning Merano into a grand stage dedicated to the harvest.
Franciacorta in Cantina Festival (BS)
From September 18 to 20, 2026, Franciacorta will celebrate its most famous wine with a full weekend devoted to wineries, tastings and the landscape. Participating companies will offer tours and tastings, but also gastronomic, cultural and outdoor experiences.
The festival is designed to go beyond the glass and tell the landscape among vineyards, castles, monasteries and historic estates. The 2026 program will also feature “Focus Franciacorta” sessions, with masterclasses, vertical tastings, vineyard visits and meetings with producers and oenologists.
98th Merano Grape Festival (Soave) (VR)
From September 18 to 20, 2026, the walled town of Soave will host the 98th Grape Festival. The event celebrates the bond between the town and its winemaking tradition, bringing to the historic center events and initiatives dedicated to grapes and wine.
The festival is also an opportunity to visit one of Veneto’s most evocative medieval villages and pair it with a stroll within the walls, the castle, and the vine-covered hills surrounding Soave. A perfect outing for those seeking an autumn excursion among landscapes, history and flavors.
59th Grape and Lambrusco Grasparossa Festival of Castelvetro di Modena (MO)
On the 19th and 20th and the 25th, 26th and 27th September 2026, Castelvetro di Modena will celebrate the 59th edition of the Grape and Lambrusco Grasparossa Festival. The Modenese hill town will come alive with tastings, music, street food and events dedicated to the local viticulture tradition.
During the festival, the Lambrusco Grasparossa Tasting Route will feature 14 local wine producers offering unmissable tastings. It’s a great chance to discover Lambrusco Grasparossa right in its production area and to wander through the historic center, shops and festival spaces.
74th Provincial Grape Festival of Riolo Terme (RA)
From September 25 to 27, 2026, Riolo Terme, in Emilia-Romagna, will celebrate the 74th Provincial Grape Festival. Three days dedicated to flavors, music, and traditions, with a program that centers on grapes and wine but also on Romagna’s conviviality.
Among the gastronomic highlights is the grand Friday polenta feast at Parco Pertini, while the program will include a grape-stomping contest, games, shows and musical evenings. The festival is an opportunity to experience a popular harvest celebration and discover a corner of Romagna’s inland.
Not to be missed is the Sagra dell’Uva Walk on Sunday, September 27, a guided route among badlands and gypsum.
70th Grape Festival of Arcevia (AN)
From September 24 to 27, 2026, the historic center of Arcevia, in the Marche region, will host the 70th Grape Festival, one of the most cherished autumn celebrations in the Marche. For four days the village will celebrate the harvest with wine, local cuisine, music and activities for all ages. Among the most anticipated moments of the event is “Vergara in Gara,” a competition dedicated to sfogline and sfoglini to crown the best tagliatella.
The streets and squares will transform into a taste itinerary thanks to the Locande del Buon Ristoro, where you can try traditional recipes paired with wines from the Val Mivola hillside. This is an ideal event to combine a popular festival with discovering the Marche’s inland.
43rd Grape and Wine Festival of Chiusi (SI)
From September 25 to 27, 2026, Chiusi, in Tuscany, will celebrate the 43rd Grape and Wine Festival. In the historic center, cellars, enoteche and taverns will open, creating a route through tastings, traditional cuisine, music and shows. The program will also include street bands, folklore, dinners in taverns, and tastings in Piazza Duomo.
In the days leading up to the festival, from September 18 to 24, there is also a calendar of events “Waiting for the festival…,” with music, opening of the wine bar, street food and tastings.
102nd Marino Grape Festival (RM)
Among Lazio’s most renowned events is the historic Marino Grape Festival, scheduled for September 26 and 27 and then October 3, 4 and 5, 2026. The festival is deeply tied to the wine tradition of the Castelli Romani and draws visitors every year to celebrate the harvest and the local wine.
The heart of the event is the relationship between the city and agricultural tradition, with events, tastings and spectacular moments. It is one of the most characteristic autumn celebrations around Rome and an opportunity to discover Marino and its surroundings during a particularly lively period.
