{"id":18031,"date":"2026-09-28T07:29:27","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitlagodigarda.it\/grape-harvest-and-wineries-on-lake-garda-guided-tours-and-autumn-tastings\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T07:42:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:42:21","slug":"grape-harvest-wineries-lake-garda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visitlagodigarda.it\/en\/grape-harvest-wineries-lake-garda\/","title":{"rendered":"Grape Harvest and Wineries on Lake Garda: Guided Tours and Autumn Tastings"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Just a few hundred metres from the shore is enough to notice it: with the arrival of autumn, the hills around Lake Garda change colour. The vine rows turn yellow, gold and red, the air smells of must, and in the wineries it’s the most intense time of the year. It’s harvest season<\/strong> \u2014 and with it comes the best time to discover the lake from its most authentic side: wine.<\/p>

Around Garda, some of Italy’s best-known labels are produced \u2014 from the crisp Lugana<\/strong> to Chiaretto di Bardolino<\/strong>, from the whites of Custoza<\/strong> to the reds of Valt\u00e8nesi<\/strong> \u2014 and more and more wineries are opening their doors to visitors with vineyard tours and guided tastings. In this guide we look at why autumn is the perfect moment, which wine denominations line each shore of the lake, what to expect from a winery visit, and how to plan your own wine-tourism experience.<\/p>

In this article:<\/strong> why autumn is the best time to visit wineries · the wine denominations around the lake, shore by shore · what to expect from a tasting · the Bardolino Grape and Wine Festival and other autumn events · how to plan your visit · wine and local flavours · frequently asked questions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why autumn is the perfect season for wine on Lake Garda<\/h2>

The grape harvest on Lake Garda generally runs from late August to October, depending on the grape variety and the season: white grapes are picked first, followed by red ones. It’s the moment when the countryside is at its most alive \u2014 grapes are hand-picked in historic vineyards, the harvest arrives at the winery, and pressing and the first stages of fermentation begin.<\/p>

For visitors, this translates into a special atmosphere: still-mild temperatures, warm colours, fewer crowds than in peak summer season, and the chance, at many estates, to watch some stages of the winemaking process up close. Combining an off-season trip with a winery visit is one of the most beautiful \u2014 and most relaxed \u2014 ways to experience Garda in autumn.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Lake Garda’s wine denominations, shore by shore<\/h2>

Garda is a unique crossroads: around its shores, three territories meet \u2014 the Verona, Brescia and Trento areas \u2014 and a surprising variety of wines. Here are the main denominations, area by area.<\/p>

Eastern (Verona) shore: Bardolino, Chiaretto and Custoza.<\/strong> On the morainic hills between Bardolino, Lazise and Peschiera del Garda, Bardolino DOC<\/strong> is born \u2014 a light, fragrant red made from Corvina and Rondinella, the same grapes as neighbouring Valpolicella. From the same area comes Chiaretto di Bardolino<\/strong>, one of Italy’s most celebrated rosés, pale pink with delicate aromas. A little further south, towards inland Verona, the fresh, versatile whites of Custoza DOC<\/strong> (Bianco di Custoza) are produced from grapes such as Garganega and Trebbiano.<\/p>

Southern shore: Lugana.<\/strong> In the flat area around Sirmione and Peschiera, straddling Lombardy and Veneto, Lugana DOC<\/strong> is produced — Garda’s great white wine: made from the Turbiana grape, it’s fresh, savoury and has a characteristic note of almond. It’s perhaps the best-known Garda wine abroad.<\/p>

Western (Brescia) shore: Valtènesi.<\/strong> On the hills of Valtènesi<\/strong>, between Moniga del Garda, Manerba and San Felice del Benaco, growers cultivate Groppello<\/strong>, a rare native grape that produces soft, spicy reds and one of the lake’s most distinctive rosés. The reference denomination is Valtènesi \/ Riviera del Garda Classico DOC<\/strong>.<\/p>

Trento shore (north): between lake and mountains.<\/strong> At the northern tip, in the Garda Trentino area, the climate turns more alpine: here you’ll find grape varieties such as Marzemino and Nosiola, producing aromatic, mineral wines.<\/p>

Umbrella over much of this mosaic is Garda DOC<\/strong>, a cross-shore denomination that unites the Verona and Brescia sides. It’s no coincidence that the lake’s main wine consortia — Garda DOC, Lugana, Custoza, Bardolino and Valtènesi — have started telling their story together as the “wines of Lake Garda”, precisely to showcase this extraordinary richness within a single territory.<\/p>

If you’d like to learn more about the grape varieties and character of each wine, take a look at our dedicated guide to the wines of Lake Garda.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What\u2019s on at Lake Garda this weekend?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Every week we send you a selection of events, places to discover, experiences, aperitifs, walks and practical tips to help you make the most of Lake Garda.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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