If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into the vines and picking grapes in Germany, harvest season — the Weinlese — is the perfect time. From September through October, vineyards across the country open their rows to visitors, offering hands-on harvest days filled with tradition, food, and, of course, wine. This year, Really Grape is making it easy for expats and wine lovers to book authentic harvest experiences in three iconic regions: Esslingen, the Pfalz, and the Rheingau. Here’s how you can join in on grape harvest in Germany this year.
🥾 Esslingen Harvest — A Pop-Up Grape Picking Experience
Set above the storybook town of Esslingen, this harvest is as authentic as it gets. With the Bader family, you’ll clip grapes in the vineyard, share laughs over muddy shoes, and end with a vineyard meal.
- 📅 Dates: Announced weekly during harvest season
- 👥 Limited spots: Small groups for an intimate experience
- 🍷 Why go: Perfect for a quick, spontaneous taste of harvest life
Harvest isn’t just picked… it’s shared.
Esslingen dates are announced only in our FB group so you can sign up with the sippers who get it.
👉 Come join the fun at our Facebook Group What’s Sippening Germany (& Beyond) to be the first to know when new Esslingen harvest dates are released
👉 Or Book your Esslingen Harvest spot here → Harvest with the Baders 2025
Schloss Janson Harvest — A Signature Pfalz Tradition
Now in its third year (and famous for selling out in under an hour!), the Schloss Janson Harvest has become a Really Grape signature. This 6th-generation Pfalz estate invites you to roll up your sleeves and celebrate harvest the way it was meant to be:
- 🥂 Start with coffee or Sekt and a vineyard breakfast
- 🍇 Pick grapes at your own pace alongside the Janson family
- 🍷 Step into the cellar to learn winemaking secrets and watch the pressing
- 🍴 End with a gourmet harvest lunch paired with their award-winning wines
- 📅 Date: September 27, 2025
- 💶 Price: €85
- 🌟 Why go: Our signature annual harvest experience — immersive, elevated, and unforgettable.
👉 Book your Schloss Janson Harvest spot here
Engelmann-Schlepper Harvest — A VDP Rheingau Experience
New this year: our first harvest with VDP Weingut Engelmann-Schlepper in the Rheingau, Germany’s most famous Riesling region. This family-run estate is both prestigious and approachable, fully Bioland-certified organic and rooted in tradition.
Your day includes:
- Welcome glass of Sekt at the winery
- Hands-on grape picking with the family
- A trip to the cellar to watch the pressing
- A hearty soup to celebrate the fruits of your labor
- 📅 Date: October 4, 2024
- 💶 Price: €55 (or included in Sip School: A Winemaker’s Journey)
- 🍇 Why go: A chance to harvest at a VDP winery in the heart of Riesling country
👉 Book your Engelmann-Schlepper Harvest spot here
🍷 Which Grape Harvest in Germany Experience Is Right for You?
- Esslingen Harvest → Spontaneous, pop-up style, cozy vineyard meal.
- Schloss Janson Harvest → Signature full-day harvest with gourmet touches.
- Engelmann-Schlepper Harvest → New collaboration with a VDP winery in the Rheingau.
No matter which grape harvest in Germany you choose, you’ll experience the joy of the Weinlese — muddy shoes, full glasses, and memories that last long after the grapes are pressed.