The Festival of Undiscovered Grapes #93
Redefining California Wine Through Discovery
Now in its third year, the Festival of Undiscovered Grapes is a purpose-driven wine festival that is reshaping how audiences experience California wine.
While 93% of vineyard plantings are concentrated in just nine grape varieties, the Festival shines a spotlight on the remaining 7% – more than 100 rare, heritage, and alternative varieties that express the true depth and diversity of California’s viticulture.
By celebrating what is often overlooked, the Festival invites guests to step beyond familiar names and discover new flavors, stories, and regions – redefining wine exploration as a journey of curiosity rather than convention.
A Growing Platform Uniting California’s Wine Regions
Launched in 2024, the Festival has quickly evolved into a multi-city annual event, expanding in its third year to two major California markets – San Jose (January 31, 2026) and Los Angeles (mARCH 28, 2026) – and welcoming over 60 wineries in each city. Participating producers represent a broad geographic spectrum, including Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Mendocino, Santa Cruz Mountains, Sierra Foothills, Livermore Valley, Lodi, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo Coast, Cienega Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Ojai, Santa Clara Valley, San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego. This diversity transforms the Festival into a unifying platform for California’s wine landscape, connecting regions, styles, and communities in one shared experience.
An Innovative, Consumer-First Festival Format
Unlike traditional tasting events, the Festival is built around an original, consumer-first model that prioritizes discovery, education, and access. Guests engage directly with winemakers, explore rare grape varieties, and can mix and match wines from multiple wineries in a single on-site order, with home delivery – removing logistical barriers while creating meaningful commercial opportunities for small and independent producers.
This approach empowers both consumers and wineries, transforming tasting into dialogue, and curiosity into connection.
From Tasting Event to Wine Tourism Gateway
Beyond the festival floor, the Festival of Undiscovered Grapes functions as a gateway to wine tourism. By introducing audiences to lesser-known regions and producers, it inspires future travel, vineyard visits, and deeper cultural engagement with wine. Curiosity sparked at the Festival becomes the beginning of new wine journeys.
The Festival’s cultural relevance has already been widely recognized – earning the title of #2 Best Wine Festival in the United States by USA Today 10Best after just its second year. By championing exploration over familiarity, the Festival expands the definition of wine tourism and festival culture, proving that California’s most compelling wine stories are often told through the grapes few people know – yet never forget once tasted.
