Fête de la Jurade de Saint-Émilion: Trip Planning Guide

The Jurade de Saint-Émilion is the town’s wine brotherhood, founded under a charter of 1199 and revived by local winegrowers in 1948. Twice a year its members, the Jurats, process through the medieval town in red robes and make a proclamation from the top of the King’s Tower (the Tour du Roy): on the third Sunday of June for the Fête de Printemps, and on the third Sunday of September for the Ban des Vendanges, which opens the harvest.

In 2026 those weekends were 20 to 21 June and 19 to 20 September. The wine council had not published 2027 dates when we checked; by the Jurade's own rule they fall on Sunday 20 June and Sunday 19 September 2027.

Plan around the procession. On the June Sunday in 2026 the day began with a solemn Mass, after which the Jurats processed to the King’s Tower for the proclamation of the Jugement du Vin Nouveau, the verdict on the new wine, at 11:15. In September the Jurats climb the same tower after their lunch to proclaim the Ban des Vendanges.

The induction ceremonies happen in historic settings such as the monolithic church, cut into the rock in the 12th century. In June 2026 the inductions were held on the Saturday, followed by a winegrowers’ dinner reserved for participants.

June celebrates the vine in flower and the verdict on the new wine; September opens the harvest. In 2021 the September weekend also had a torchlit procession of the Jurats on the Saturday evening, as part of the heritage night, ending with a sound-and-light show and fireworks at the King’s Tower. Check whether it is repeated before you build a trip around it.

The brotherhood has 140 Jurats, in red robes with white trim, red caps and white gloves, and has inducted more than 3,000 people as ambassadors for Saint-Émilion wine. Each inductee swears the same oath: “À Saint-Émilion, toujours fidèle”.