Ban des Vendanges de la Jurade de Saint-Émilion is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Bordeaux calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Tour du Roy in 33330 Saint-Émilion, in the heart of one of France's most distinctive wine areas. It is an annual event with an established local audience and a consistent place in the regional calendar.
Autumn harvest proclamation of the Jurade de Saint-Émilion. From the top of the Tour du Roy in the walled medieval village, black-robed Jurats formally proclaim the start of the harvest and induct new members into the confraternity. One of the most atmospheric wine events in Bordeaux; parades, wine tastings, and local arts and crafts. Brotherhood proclamations are one of the more theatrical traditions in French wine, going back centuries in some cases and revived in others during the twentieth century. Members of the confrerie process through the streets in distinctive robes, before formally proclaiming the start of the harvest or the official judgement of the new vintage. Visitors can attend the public ceremony, the procession and the surrounding wine tastings, and many events also include inductions of new members. The event is organised by Jurade de Saint-Émilion, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
Bordeaux is defined by blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, organised across classified chateaux on both banks of the Gironde estuary. Each appellation — Medoc, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes, Entre-Deux-Mers — expresses the region in a distinct way. The brotherhood traditions of Bordeaux are unusually well-preserved, with the Jurade de Saint-Emilion (founded 1199) and the Commanderie du Bontemps among the most active in France. Bordeaux's wine festival calendar mixes major public events such as Bordeaux Fete le Vin with brotherhood proclamations, the Marathon du Medoc and primeur week tastings each spring.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for 20 September 2026 (Third Sunday of September). Entry is free, with optional paid tasting passes or guided sessions available on site. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://vins-saint-emilion.com/. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as French festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
Bordeaux is accessible via the Bordeaux-Merignac airport and high-speed TGV from Paris (around two hours). Festival visitors usually combine the event with a stay in central Bordeaux — a UNESCO-listed cityscape — and day trips into the Medoc, Saint-Emilion, Sauternes, or Pessac-Leognan. La Cite du Vin, the Bordeaux wine museum, sits as a natural complement to any festival visit. Bordelais cuisine builds around the wines: entrecote a la bordelaise, lamprey, oysters from the Bassin d'Arcachon, and canele de Bordeaux.
