Blog feature … The world’s greatest wine festivals

“I like on the table, when we’re speaking,
the light of a bottle of intelligent wine.”
Pablo Neruda

If you can rhapsodize at length about your favourite bottle of plonk, sniff out a superior Sauvignon at 100 paces and choose to order all your specialist wine by post, it might be time to consider heading to a wine festival. Not only will you get to voice your opinions on tannins and food pairing with like-minded individuals, you’ll deepen your appreciation of decent wine, and see more of the world as you do it! Read on to discover some of the top destinations to embrace your passion for vino!

Boston Wine Expo, USA

The Boston wine expo is America’s largest consumer-facing celebration of wine. Kicking off in February, it offers an action-packed programme with thousands of different wines on show.

As well as informative seminars with exciting themes like ‘Twenty first Century Rioja’ and ‘Experience the exciting wines of Portugal’, there are expert chefs on hand to construct dazzling menus designed to entice the palate.

Békéscsaba: Csabai Sausage Festival, Hungary

Okay, so this is technically a sausage-based celebration, but this joyous event held every October in the little town of Békéscsaba involves Hungarian wine by the gallon, too. Pig out on hearty Hungarian fare, soak up the lively atmosphere and wonder at one of the dozens of sausage-making contests as the competition starts to sizzle!

Bacchus Food and Wine Festival, France

Named after the Roman god of wine (and ritual madness), the Bacchus Food and Wine Festival in Toulon has been running for 20 years, and blooms in the first week of April. Sample wines from over 150 local growers, accompanied by musicians, traders and food producers, usually in costume to capture the spirit of this decadent Provancale celebration.

Dubrovnik International Wine & Jazz Festival, Croatia

If cheese isn’t your thing, why not indulge in a large glass of red paired with some sultry jazz instead? Kicking off at the end of May, this smooth little event will soothe away any stresses you have with its blend of world-renowned musicians, Croatian wine, fine art exhibitions and exquisite Dalmatian cuisine.

By all means, indulge your inner epicure at one of these fantastic festivals, just remember to stay hydrated, eat well and never mix the grape and the grain, or you could be in for a few painful mornings after the night before!