Heiligenhauser Weinfest

A Wine Festival Bringing German Growing Regions Together in Heiligenhaus

The Heiligenhauser Weinfest has a clear concept without a show stage, but with substance: For three summer days, seven vintners personally present themselves on Basildonplatz in the center of Heiligenhaus — hand-picked from four German wine-growing regions:

• Mosel — steep slopes, slate, Riesling
• Nahe — mineral diversity between Mosel and Pfalz
• Pfalz — Germany's second-largest growing region, from Riesling to Spätburgunder
• Rheinhessen — Germany's largest wine region, characterized by Silvaner and modern cuvées

Direct Encounter with the Producers

Unlike many wine events where dealers serve on behalf of the vintners, in Heiligenhaus, the vintners themselves are behind the counters. They pour, explain the vineyard sites, discuss vintages — and thus give the public direct access, which sets the format apart from the average city festival.

Format and Atmosphere

The wine festival runs in the evenings — Thursday from 6 PM to 11 PM, Friday from 5 PM to 11 PM, Saturday from 4 PM to 11 PM. There are standing tables on Basildonplatz, seating under the trees, and food stalls with culinary accompaniments: Rhenish classics, cheese, bread, and Mediterranean side dishes. Live music enhances the atmosphere without turning the wine festival into a stage event.

Organizer: City of Heiligenhaus

The event is organized by the City of Heiligenhaus through its Gastronomy Marketing Committee — an initiative that has been running the format for twelve years and carefully curates the selection of vintners each year. Free admission, wine tasting glass available on-site.

Heiligenhaus in the Mettmann District

Heiligenhaus is located in the Mettmann district between Düsseldorf, Essen, and Wuppertal — a medium-sized town with around 26,000 inhabitants in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, nestled in the Bergisches Land region. The Heiligenhauser Weinfest is one of the summer events that brings visitors from beyond the region to the city — from the entire Mettmann district, from the Rhineland, and from the Bergisches Land.