Rheingau's communal wine stands: from Flörsheim to Lorch, over two dozen spots for a glass by the Rhine
From Wicker to Lorch, more than two dozen communal wine-probing stands offer Riesling, Pinot, and secco by the glass, with many allowing guests to bring their own picnics.
A string of stands along the Rhine
More than two dozen communal wine-probing stands (Weinprobierstände) are open this summer in the Rheingau, stretching from Flörsheim in the east to Lorch in the west. The stands, operated jointly by local wineries that rotate on a weekly basis, offer wines by the glass, grape juice, water, and often small snacks. Many allow guests to bring their own picnics. The stands are open until autumn, with some, like the "Fässchen" in Walluf, serving year-round.
The Fässchen: a converted barrel and a meeting point
At the "Fässchen" in Walluf, wine is poured from a converted former wine barrel. On a summer weekday evening, the stand draws couples, cyclists, and families. Tatjana Held, junior boss of Weingut Friedel Russler, was on duty in mid-July. A customer asks for a "Piffchen" and Held hands over a generous 0.1-litre glass of Riesling. Held says the stand is a good way for the winery to present itself. "Many new people can try our wine." She often gains new customers this way. Popular pours include Pinot varieties with low acidity, rosé, sparkling wine, and an alcohol-free herbal grape secco. Guests are explicitly allowed to bring their own food; some even have pizza delivered. "No problem," Held says. Weekdays draw more locals, while weekends attract tourists. "When the weather is good, it's buzzing."
You go to the Fässchen to have a relaxed time.
Marketing and tradition
Dominik Russler, managing director of the Rheingauer Weinbauverband, says the stands have a long tradition and are "an enrichment for the region." They offer an uncomplicated way for people to meet. The Rhine-side locations are especially busy with locals, tourists, and cyclists. Families tend to prefer stands in the vineyards, where children have more space to play. Russler stresses that the stands' importance for marketing regional wines "cannot be underestimated." For winemakers, they provide a chance for customer care and contact with new customers. Wine lovers can try something new at an affordable price.
They are an enrichment for the region.
Beyond the Rheingau
In Hesse's other wine region, the Hessische Bergstraße, communal wine stands have not yet taken hold. Lisa Jung, managing director of the local winegrowers' association, says many winemakers there want to operate stands in the vineyards. "Financing is certainly the biggest hurdle, but also regulatory requirements like toilets, water and electricity play a role," she adds. Ernst Büscher, spokesman for the German Wine Institute, notes that such communal stands are found in other German wine regions as well, citing the "Weinpavillon" in Zornheim (Rheinhessen), "Wein am Rhein" in Nierstein, and the "Weinkiste" of the Deidesheim winemakers' association in the Palatinate.
A selection of stands
The stands line the Rhine like a string of pearls, but some are set back from the river. At the "Tor zum Rheingau" in Wicker, a stand welcomes visitors in the east. Flörsheim pours at the Main riverbank. In Wiesbaden-Biebrich, a stand offers a view of the Rhine and a stroll through Biebrich Palace Park. The Bubenhäuser Höhe in Rauenthal sits above the river with a view of vineyards. In Oestrich-Winkel's Mittelheim district, the stand "Auf ans Ufer!" is right by the Rhine ferry on the B42. Tourist hotspot Rüdesheim has two communal stands, on Bleichstraße and the market square. At the western end, the "Weinstand in den Rheinanlagen" in Lorch completes the chain.
