Zurich Wine Festival 2026

How the festival week works

The festival runs in stages. From Monday to Wednesday there are Wine Experiences all over the city, masterclasses, dinners and tastings in restaurants, wine bars and shops, often for small groups. From Thursday, the Papiersaal at Sihlcity is the centre of the festival.

Thursday is Aperitivo Day, according to the organisers the official opening of the festival at the Papiersaal, inspired by Italian aperitivo culture, with wines, cocktails, bites and music. On Friday and Saturday comes the Wine Expo, the heart of the festival. There you meet producers and importers, and according to the website more than 450 wines from over 30 exhibitors are waiting, plus masterclasses, a tartare bar and a VIP party on Saturday night.

On Sunday the week ends with the Wine Brunch. The Wine Expo stays open, and a brunch buffet comes with the same wines. According to the organisers, the list of exhibitors is updated all the time, with around 20 more still to be announced.

Opening hours and tickets 2026

The exact opening hours at the Papiersaal are shown above under When. On Saturday you choose between two time slots, afternoon or evening.

Tickets are sold through the Ticketino ticket shop. According to the shop, the Aperitivo Day ticket includes unlimited tasting, a welcome cocktail by Martini, the aperitivo buffet by Epicurea and live cooking by Tatarie Marie. With the Wine Expo ticket you taste your way through the wines of the Expo, food and masterclasses are extra. The Sunday ticket includes the brunch buffet by Epicurea, live cooking by Tatarie Marie and access to the Wine Expo.

Masterclasses cost from CHF 10 and also require a valid festival ticket for the day in question. According to the organisers, this applies to all masterclasses at the Papiersaal.

Experiences and masterclasses

Here are all the dates we know of, from the experiences around the city to the masterclasses at the Papiersaal. Places are sometimes very limited, for some experiences only ten to twelve according to the ticket shop. Click on a title to go straight to booking.

• Sunday, 18.10., 11:30ZWF2026, Tartare & Franciacorta: a pairing experience
• Sunday, 18.10., 13:00ZWF2026, Champagne & Cheese with Peter Jauch

Which day suits you

If you want to relax with a glass after work, Aperitivo Day is your evening. Cocktail, buffet and unlimited tasting are included in the ticket, so there is nothing to add.

If you want to taste with a plan, go for Friday evening or one of the two Saturday slots. The Wine Expo ticket is the cheapest, and adding a masterclass lets you go deeper into one topic. This year the programme includes Rioja, port, Franciacorta from Bellavista and wines from Vaud and Ticino, among others.

If you like it relaxed, Sunday is ideal. You have brunch, taste the same wines as at the Expo and can add a masterclass on tartare and Franciacorta or on wines from Sicily.

And if you want to discover something new, look at the countries beyond the classics. Besides Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, the exhibitor list also includes Moldova and Bulgaria. There is a dedicated Moldova masterclass in the city on Tuesday.

If you are tasting, leave the car at home. And drink water in between, so you still enjoy the wine at the twentieth stand.

Frequently asked questions