This study explores the influence of holiday experience in a wine producing country on consumers' future wine purchasing intentions. Findings from eight focus groups with UK wine consumers who have holidayed in Greece suggest that the effect is greater on highly involved wine consumers and depends on their knowledge of wines from the country, specifically grape varieties, wine producing areas and territorial certifications. This post‐holiday effect facilitates regeneration of memories from holidays when back in the home country, which can also generate interest for wine from the holiday destination and facilitate development of alternative tourism activities such as wine tourism. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.