The Softness

Open Wine Cellar Day

Where exactly is Varnhalt? Or Sinzheim-Ebenung? Somewhere near Baden-Baden in the wine-growing region. It's called that because there are many vineyards there. And today is an open wine cellar day.

We set off around midday in sunshine and temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. It took us less than 45 minutes to reach Varnhalt. The village is nestled among numerous vineyards. Our first destination: the DOPPELGARAGE winery.

Marc Bürkle and Uwe Link not only offered their wines, but also ensured the well-being of both large (pulled pork in a bun) and small (popcorn) visitors.

The wines have somewhat unusual names like "16.81" and "86.20"—which simply refer to the respective vineyard locations. As a fan of rosé wines, I then tried the "handmade Riesling—a lot of love." With its dark color, I would never have guessed it was a rosé. The aroma also promised a robust wine—and it certainly lived up to the hype. The bottle closure is also unusual: instead of a plastic cap, there's a layer of red wax over the cork.

Incidentally, the two winemakers also offer a wine hike. We hope to do that sometime with some friends. More information can be found at: www.doppelgaragevarnhalt.de

The afternoon wasn't over yet, so we set off for the next winery. Incidentally, a shuttle bus regularly stops at all the wineries.

The Kopp winery wasn't too far away. This winemaker built his wine cellar and restaurant high up in the vineyards. Here, we sampled wines including Riesling and Chardonnay. At the EBANAT restaurant, a dream of delicious food, good wine, and a magnificent view from the large balcony across the Rhine Valley to the Black Forest and as far as the Vosges Mountains came true. I could have stayed there much longer – if the "Spring Festival" in Sinzheim hadn't been on the agenda: a small fair with all sorts of rides and everything else that nourishes body and soul.

Turning the corner, the scene changed completely. Like in Italian markets, stalls selling leather goods, clothing, household items, toys, and so on lined the streets. There was even a stall with books of every kind. From fish sandwiches to doner kebabs and bratwurst, there was plenty to satisfy hunger and thirst. It was truly a feast.

A truly beautiful day; full of new impressions, delicious food (fish and chips for me and an asparagus salad with red wine dressing for the driver) on the wonderful veranda of the EBANAT.

See you soon!