Every year, between the end of September and the end of October, the whole of La Rioja goes to work on the grape. There is no fixed date: it depends on the weather that year, but there is a fairly clear window for anyone who wants to see it up close.
When it starts, and where
The Rioja harvest usually starts at the end of September or the beginning of October, and lasts thirty to forty days. Rioja Baja, which is warmer, is the area where picking normally starts first; the rest of the region follows behind, staggered according to the ripening of each plot. There is no fixed day on the calendar: each winery decides when to harvest according to the analysis of the grape, not the date.
What you can see and do
During these weeks many wineries open their activity to visitors: tours of the cellars while the grapes come in, tastings of freshly pressed must, walks among vineyards in full harvest. It is not a standardised experience nor the same in every winery — each one decides which activities to offer and when, so it is worth confirming directly with the winery what will be visible on the specific day of the visit.
The Rioja Harvest Festival is held in Logroño coinciding with San Mateo, around 21 September, with the offering of the first must to the Virgin of Valvanera. It is a symbolic city event, not the moment when most plots are harvested, which is usually somewhat later.
Why book further ahead than usual
The harvest is the busiest season of the year in La Rioja: accommodation, restaurants and transport fill up sooner than at any other time. If the plan includes transfers or a winery route on these dates, it is worth organising it with more margin than usual.
The vineyard can be seen all year. The harvest is only seen for thirty or forty days, and not even the same thirty or forty every year.
Can I take part in the grape picking?
Some wineries offer participatory harvest experiences, but it is an activity each winery organises on its own and with limited places. You have to confirm it directly with them.
What is the best week to come?
There is no single right week because the date varies each year according to the weather. The safest thing is to ask the winery you want to visit how the ripening is going in those weeks before fixing the trip.
We organise your route in the middle of the harvest
It is the busiest season of the year: the sooner you book, the better.
