One of the many things I love about Europe is how villages transform their center town squares into enchanting festivals. The Annual Rüdesheim Wine Festival is a perfect example. On the cobblestone old town center, sitting on fest tables nestled under the trees, it is a delightful location to sip Riesling wine!

Rüdesheim

During the middle of August, Rüdesheim has held a wonderful fest for wine lovers since 1912. Rüdesheim is already such a gorgeous town on the Rhine River and has many locations to explore, so going to this fest is just an added bonus!

The Wine Festival

On a scale from zero to ten, measuring relaxation to “wild and crazy dancing on fest tables,” I would give it a two during the day time. However, the tempo picks up a bit at night as the younger crowd start arriving.

© Gemma

Soothing Celtic flute music was playing when I was there during the day. I could have stayed there drinking all day… and perhaps have a nap or two. After the soothing music, a traditional German band started up on the stage…”Oom Pa Pa!”

Also during the day it was a very kid friendly fest!

As you can probably imagine there were many wine vendor stands throughout the fest. However, there were not too many making it overwhelming to find your favorite drink!

Food

A couple of food vendors were on the outside circle of the fest, and they ranged from traditional Rheingau favorites to exotic Asian noodles.

We got the local fest favorite, the delicious vegetable Flammkuchen! What is Flammkuchen? It is a very thin bread dough with traditionally crème fraiche, thinly sliced onions and bacon. It is served on a wood board with a handle that looks like a big paddle. In case you miss this quite tasty meal at the fest, then try it at home. A great recipe for Flammkuchen can be found here.

© Gemma

Tips for the Fest

Let me start first with the wine. I highly recommend the Pinot Noir! My taste buds were delighted and yours will be too. Pinot Noir is the perfect drink for a warm summer night in Germany.

Don’t forget to bring a lot of cash. The deposit (Pfand) for a wine glass is 5 Euro each, which was the most I have ever seen at a fest. A Pfand deposit means that you pay for your drink, then you give them an additional 5 Euro as a deposit to ensure you will bring your glass back. So when you do return the glass, you will get your 5 Euro back. That means that you, your spouse and another couple will pay a total of 32 Euros a glass of wine (3 Euros) for each person and then the Pfand deposit. Also the Flammkuchen wooden trays have a deposit of 8 Euros.

Parking: I think the best parking lot is located at the street ‘An der Ringmauer’. It is inexpensive and in a great location.

How to Get There

 Rüdesheim is approximately a 35 minutes southwest of Wiesbaden, 1 hour and 25 minutes north of Kaiserslautern and 2 hours and 40 minutes north of Stuttgart.

Mark your calendar next August for the Rüdesheim’s Annual Wine Festival. Though no noisy rides or big flashing candy stands, this fest definitely has quality over quantity. You can delight your taste buds with delicious wine and food as well as enjoy the ambiance of the Rüdesheim’s Annual Wine Festival!

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Featured Image Photo Credit: © Gemma