Culinary Wine Hike Freinsheim

Hike with a Menu

The concept of the culinary wine hike is simple and ingenious: Instead of crowding at a fixed festival site, visitors hike along a marked circular route through the Freinsheim vineyards. At each station, a different dish awaits — an appetizer at the first, a soup at the second, a main course at the third, cheese at the fourth, dessert at the fifth. And at each dish, the vintners serve the appropriate wine. The hike thus becomes a complete menu, embedded in a landscape that is among the most beautiful in the Mittelhaardt.

Pioneers of the Format

Freinsheim vintners introduced the culinary wine hike format in the Palatinate in 1991 — today, there are dozens of imitators throughout the region. Yet the Freinsheim original remains one of the most refined versions: curated menus, carefully selected wine pairings, professional organization, and a landscape that is unique with its mix of vineyard slopes, medieval city walls, and the Palatinate Forest as a backdrop.

Autumn of Indulgence in the Palatinate

The September date coincides with the most beautiful phase of the Palatinate wine year: The harvest has usually just begun or is imminent, the vineyards are full of grapes, the sun is still warm, and the evenings are pleasantly cool. Those who embark on the hike should allow ample time — the entire route takes several hours, and the atmosphere and conversations at each station invite lingering.

Popular, Compact, Curated

Tickets for the Culinary Wine Hike are regularly sold out quickly. Those who want to attend should mark the date early in their calendar and not miss the advance sale. The price usually includes the tasting glass, the dishes at the stations, and the wine tasting.