Thuringian Vineyard Festival in the Wine Village of Kaatschen

Wine, Saale, and the Dachsberg

In the northernmost part of Thuringia, where Weimarer Land borders Saxony-Anhalt, lies the small wine village of Kaatschen – a district of the municipality of Großheringen. For decades, the Thuringian Zahn Winery has cultivated vines on the Dachsberg here, making it one of the most important producers in the Saale-Unstrut wine region, one of Europe's northernmost wine-growing areas.

The Vineyard Festival — A Weekend Dedicated to Saale-Unstrut Wine

Once a year, the winery invites you to its grand vineyard festival. For one weekend in early September, the Dachsberg becomes the stage: tastings directly at the vines, guided vineyard hikes, farm gastronomy with regional specialties, and a cozy get-together among rows of ripening grapes. The combination of landscape, wine, and Thuringian hospitality attracts visitors from all over Central Germany annually.

Raft and Carriage Rides

A special feature of the festival is the raft and carriage rides offered by the winery along the Saale river and through the vineyards, respectively. A relaxing way to experience the valley from a different perspective – and incidentally, to get to know the different vineyard sites of the winery.

Music, Dancing, and Barrel Rolling

The evenings of the vineyard festival are dedicated to music. Bands provide the atmosphere, the traditional barrel rolling is a highlight for participants, and the festival meadow on the Dachsberg is a place for celebration late into the night.

Saale-Unstrut — Viticulture in Northern Thuringia

With around 800 hectares of vineyards, the Saale-Unstrut region is one of the northernmost and oldest wine-growing areas in Europe. Characteristic grape varieties include Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Silvaner, and Bacchus. Weingut Zahn is one of the largest private wineries in the region and, with its dry, mineralic wines, shapes the profile of the growing area in Weimarer Land.