Winemakers & Wineries
On the Southern Wine Route
Discover wine and winegrowers from one of Germany's most innovative winegrowing regions. Many people here live from wine and for wine, almost all live with wine, enjoy it and go through the year with it. Wine is a means of enjoyment and a cultural asset - in the best sense of the word. And the numerous awards of the past years prove the breathtaking development and fascinating quality of the local growths.
Wine
From the Southern Wine Route
On the Southern Wine Route, the name says it all: because the sun shines here more often than in any other region in Germany, exclusive wines can be produced with the best soil conditions. The Southern Wine Route is not only located in Germany's second largest wine-growing region, it is also home to winemakers whose names rank among the wine elite. Here, winemakers create the perfect connection between a great, old wine tradition and the modern demand for an outstanding growth. The wine list of the Southern Wine Route is correspondingly diverse. You can experience this at countless convivial festivals or individually with the winemaker in person.
Harvest Experience
The harvest time is certainly the most exciting moment for the winegrower. This is when it is decided whether all the effort put into tending the vineyard will be rewarded with a successful wine. When a wine is ripe for harvesting depends, of course, mainly on the grape variety and the weather. Ultimately, the winemaker determines when the grapes find their way into the cellar. He assesses the weather risk, plans which wine he wants to press and when. For on the one hand, a wine will in principle be better if the plant has a long time to care for the grapes. On the other hand, a sudden frost or a period of rain can affect the harvest.
And then the new wine arrives on the table...
It belongs to autumn like the colourful leaves: new wine or also called Federweißer owes its name to its appearance, because during the fermentation of the grape must, the milky yeast particles in the grape juice are stirred up, giving the impression that there are many small, white feathers in the glass. The new wine combines perfectly with oven-fresh onion tart, Pfälzer Saumagen or chestnuts - a pleasure that wine lovers can only experience in autumn. In October, the new wine is celebrated along the Southern Wine Route at numerous wine festivals.
Distilleries
High Spirits from the Southern Wine Route
When the vines lose their last leaves and the first snow covers the fields with its white mantle, the winegrowers on the Southern Wine Route are far from resting on their laurels. At the region's wineries, it's time to get to work in the cellar, bottling the previous year's wines or storing them in wooden barrels for a few years. But it's not just about fine wines, but also wine and fruit brandies. The schnapps from the region have made a name for themselves, because where wine and the finest fruit are at home, fine distillates are also a matter of honour. Decades of experience and an incorruptible nose are required to create these delicacies. Those who are prepared to follow the unconventional distillers to their treasures will embark on an enjoyable and flavourful journey through time and return with coveted souvenirs.