May’s Wine Delights: Great Wine Weekends, Live Music & Festivals in Africa and Europe

May is a glorious month for wine lovers—whether you’re savoring bold reds in South Africa’s crisp autumn air or clinking glasses of refreshing Rosé in a sunlit European piazza. The season calls for great wine weekends, live music at wine farms, and vibrant wine festivals celebrating the best vintages.

So, what are people sipping across Africa and Europe in May?

Africa’s May Wine Favorites

As temperatures cool in the Southern Hemisphere, South Africans lean toward Pinotage and Shiraz, embracing their full-bodied warmth. In North Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah remain go-to choices, pairing beautifully with rich Moroccan dishes. Kenya and Nigeria, relying heavily on imports, see Chardonnay and Merlot dominating wine lists.

Spotlight: Where to Wine & Dine in May

Cape Winelands, South Africa – The autumn air sets the perfect mood for wine farms with live music. Stellenbosch’s Spier Wine Farm regularly hosts intimate jazz evenings, blending wine and rhythm under the stars.
Durban’s Cooler Nights – Look out for weekend specials at vineyards like Abingdon Wine Estate, where great wine weekends feature cheese platters and hand-crafted vintages.
Moroccan Vineyard Tours – May is prime time for visiting Morocco’s growing wine scene, where wineries like Domaine Zouina offer tastings with scenic backdrops.

Europe’s May Wine Scene

May is all about Rosé season in France, with Provence leading the way in crisp, fruity selections perfect for springtime picnics. Italy brings forth Chianti and Vermentino, balancing warmth and refreshing acidity, while Spain sees Albariño and Tempranillo dominating local celebrations.

Where to Sip & Celebrate in Europe

Provence, France – May is peak Rosé season! Celebrate at the Festival de Rosé, where local wineries showcase the best pink pours.
Tuscany, Italy – The Chianti wine route bursts to life with vineyard events blending history, tastings, and countryside adventures.
Spain’s Albariño Festivities – Galicia is buzzing with wine weekends featuring seafood feasts perfectly matched with Albariño’s crisp freshness.

Wine Festivals You Can’t Miss

Whether you’re in Africa or Europe, May’s wine festivals are buzzing with tastings, music, and cultural flair:

Stoep Tasting Festival (South Africa) – Held in Graaff-Reinet, this festival brings together top wineries for a laid-back sipping experience.
London Wine Week (UK) – A must-visit for those exploring global wines, pairing events with city elegance.
La Fête du Vin (France) – Bordeaux hosts one of the biggest wine festivals, where legendary labels meet eager enthusiasts.

May is truly the month of seasonal wine joy, whether you're basking in vineyard sunsets or exploring the latest wine trends. So, where’s your next glass coming from? 🍷

Comments

The Wine Trophies: Savoring the Memory, One Empty Bottle at a Time

There’s something quietly triumphant about an empty wine bottle. It’s not just glass and label—it’s a monument to a moment, a celebration of taste, and a silent witness to laughter, conversation, and reflection. For me, keeping the bottles of the best wines I’ve drunk is more than a habit. It’s a ritual. A personal museum of sensory victories. Each bottle stands as a trophy, a testament to greatness uncorked and savored. 🍷 The Bottle as Memory Wine is ephemeral. It’s poured, swirled, sipped, and gone. But the bottle remains. And in that vessel lies the power to evoke memory. I can glance at a dusty Bordeaux with its faded label and recall the rainy evening I first tasted it—how its earthy notes matched the mood, how the tannins lingered like the conversation that followed. A crisp Albariño might remind me of a coastal trip, the salt air mingling with citrus on the palate. These bottles are bookmarks in my life’s story. Unlike photographs or souvenirs, wine bottles carry the essence of...

Canned Wine: A New Era or a Casual Compromise?

In the ever-evolving world of wine, tradition has long been the compass guiding everything from vineyard practices to packaging. Corks, glass bottles , and elegant labels have defined the aesthetic and experience of wine for centuries. But in recent years, a quiet revolution has been bubbling up—one that’s challenging the very vessel of wine itself. Enter canned wine : sleek, portable, and unapologetically modern. Is this the dawn of a new era, or merely a casual compromise that dilutes the soul of wine? 🍷 The Rise of the Can: Convenience Meets Curiosity Canned wine isn’t exactly new. Its earliest iterations appeared in the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that the format gained serious traction. Driven by millennial and Gen Z consumers who value portability, sustainability, and casual drinking experiences, canned wine has surged in popularity across markets like the United States , Australia , and parts of Europe . Why the sudden embrace? Portability : Cans are lightweigh...

Embracing the Chill: Autumn's Surprising Wintery Touch and the Wines to Warm Us

Durban’s usual autumn charm seems to have taken an icy detour this year, hasn’t it? One moment, we’re basking in the gentle embrace of Autumn, and the next, winter has barged in with frosty winds, uninvited and unapologetic. As I wrap my hands around a steaming mug of rooibos tea, I can’t help but ponder the big question: is this an omen of climate change, or do I just have a serious dislike for the biting cold? Regardless of the reason, one thing’s for sure—this unseasonal chill has got me thinking about how best to cozy up with a glass of wine. But let’s not rush past the bigger debate. Climate change—the headline-grabber of our time—is not just about melting glaciers or rising sea levels. Sometimes it’s these subtle disruptions, like Durban’s autumn pretending it’s mid-July, that make us pause and wonder. That said, our chat today isn’t about science or politics. Nope, it’s about survival— wine survival, to be exact. So, let’s tackle the burning (or rather, freezing) question: what ...

TheBradWineTravel

Search This Blog