When I lived in south-west Germany I was always a little bit sad when the long evenings of summer were coming an end, as they are now – but September brings an event that cheers me up a lot. And it’s all about wine.

There are wine festivals all over Germany at this time of year, but my favourite is in my husband’s hometown of Heilbronn. Since Heilbronn is not a famous tourist town, but is surrounded by vineyards, it’s a great place to experience a really genuine German wine festival.

Known as the Heilbronner Weindorf (a German link, if you know the language), this year the “Heilbronn Wine Village” will run from 10 to 18 September 2009. The centre of the city is completely taken over by small wooden stalls run by various local vineyards, along with a few other stands specialising in snacks like Zwiebelkuchen (“onion cake”) or Bretzel (the local variation on pretzels). The centre of Weindorf is on the square in front of the Town Hall, on the main street.

During the week of the Weindorf, I’m sure everybody in the whole region spends at least two or three evenings there. You can get small tastings of different wines for a low price (this year they’ll be 1.30 Euro for 100mL) and the bonus is that they’re served in attractive glasses decorated with the winery’s logo, and you get to keep them! You can also buy a bottle and share it amongst your friends.

The most important thing to remember about Weindorf is that you definitely shouldn’t drive home – so if you have a rental car, leave it at your hotel and either walk (many hotels are close to the centre) or get a taxi. And have a drink for me, since I won’t make it there this year. If you’re visiting another part of Germany, ask about a similar wine festival there.

Image from Heilbronn Marketing

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