Typically early August to late September, with peak
mid-August through mid-September.
In season now
now
JFMAMJJASOND
Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.
At a glance
Early
From early August —
first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.
Peak
mid-August through mid-September — full stalls,
full flavor. This is the stretch to plan around.
Late
Through late September — quantity for
preserving, and the stalls start dealing.
Season length
about 9 weeks end to end, shoulders included.
U-pick grapes in Virginia
Bring clean snips and cut whole clusters into shallow trays — tugging shatters the bunch. The picking window tracks the band above: early
trips get clean fields, peak (mid-August through mid-September) is the sure bet,
late season is for quantity.
Farm-to-farm variation is real — up to two weeks either side of
the typical window. Plan the trip,
then call the farm before you drive.
Grapes
Look
Full, even color for the type with the powdery white bloom still on the berries and a green, flexible stem.
Feel
Berries should be plump and hold tight to the stem; shriveled stems or showers of loose berries mean old fruit.
Smell
Ripe bunches smell sweet and grapey at the stem end — Concords and muscadines perfume the whole stand.
Tip
Taste a berry from the tip of the cluster — it ripens last, so if the bottom berry is sweet the bunch is ready.
Keeps
Refrigerate unwashed in a vented bag; most grapes keep a week or two.
Chasing the season?
Grape peak moves across the map.
After this window, it lands next in:
In Virginia, the grape season typically runs early August to late September, with peak availability mid-August through mid-September. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.
When should I go u-pick grapes in Virginia?
Aim for peak: mid-August through mid-September. An early trip around early August gets first choice of clean fields; a late one is for jam-and-freezer quantity. Any single farm can run up to two weeks either side of the chart — call before you drive.
How long does grape season last in Virginia?
about 9 weeks end to end — early August to late September. The early and late shoulders are real but lighter; the solid stretch of chalk on the band is the sure bet.