Vipava Grape Harvest

Fifty years of tradition

In the early days of September – sometimes even as soon as late August – grapes are ready to be picked and in the Vipava Valley this means one thing: b'ndima – the grape harvest – is about to start. A social event of sorts, farmers enlist their friends and acquaintances to help with picking the crop at b'ndima. You have to take all the help you can get as the picking is done manually. In the evening, after the grapes are pressed and the natural transformation from grape juice to wine is set in motion, the pickers are treated to an array of hearty dishes and finest wines. The event is not considered to be merely labour; it is a feast. For locals this is perhaps the best time of the year. Grape picking and socializing at bendima is one of the few old-school traditions that have survived through the generations virtually unchanged. 

Harvest time is a jolly affair. For over half a century the biggest harvest fete has been organized in Vipava. Every year, the second September weekend brings joy to the main square and streets of Vipava. The three-day affair runs the gamut from cultural ceremonies and light-hearted entertainment, to a farmers’ market and wine tastings, and draws a crowd of thousands. As per tradition, the central event of the grape harvest takes place on Sunday afternoon on the Vipava main square. A Wine Queen is crowned every year. Her one-year term is dedicated to promoting regional Vipava wines. During the Vipava Grape Harvest, a wine judging event takes place in which the top rated Vipava wines are awarded the certificate of excellence. 

Programme 2024

Vipava Grape harvest: 6 – 8 September 2024

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