After two years of a compulsory break due to the pandemic, the "Rheingauer Schlemmerwochen" will start again on the last weekend in April between Lorch and Hochheim, and the winegrowers such as Christian Gebhardt from Martinsthal are very satisfied and full of expectations.

Oliver Bock

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Rheingau-Taunus district and for Wiesbaden.

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For Gebhardt, who runs a 23-hectare farm in the lower Rheingau and only moved to the Eltville district in 2016, the gourmet week is of great economic importance.

It gives him the opportunity to present the new vintage to many wine lovers and, as a regional event, has a different status than, for example, a young wine tasting in his own company.

Above all because the majority of his customers are based in the Rhine-Main region and the gourmet weeks have always met with a great response.

Most of Gebhardt's professional colleagues see it the same way.

Because, despite the high number of infections in everyday winegrowing, there are practically no longer any corona restrictions, there are high hopes of building on the success of the last Gourmet Week in 2019 and attracting tens of thousands of guests to the region.

Normality returns

District Administrator Frank Kilian (independent) also assumes that the "withdrawal symptoms" of wine lovers in the Rhine-Main region are great.

Weinbau President Peter Seyffardt sees the region on the right track with the development of the "Rheingau brand" and more recently the joint "Destination Wiesbaden-Rheingau".

The gourmet week means more normality again.

At the gourmet weeks this year, newcomers such as the Kisselbach winery in Erbach, newcomers such as the Pesch winery in Hattenheim and the Hotel Trapp in Rüdesheim will also be there, said Seyffardt when the program was presented.

A total of seven bakeries are taking part with a gourmet week bread called "Rheingau 817" made from spelt, rye and vineyard herbs, for which each company has developed its own recipe.

It is said to be served in many wineries.

There will be live music in many wineries

In total, more than 100 wineries and restaurants take part in the gourmet week, which is celebrated from April 29th to May 8th.

The program is supplemented by numerous special events such as vineyard hikes, guided e-bike tours to beautiful places in the wine landscape, concerts such as the "Electro Strauße" in Geisenheim's Dillmann winery and a gourmet rock in the Martin winery, as well as dance events at the beginning of May and a breakfast table in the Lorch chapel mountain.

There will be live music in many wineries.

For carefree enjoyment, the Rheingau line will run from Wiesbaden to the Rheingau every half hour.

Some taxi companies also offer discounted rates.

The Rheingau wine queen, Annika Walther, is one of the regular guests who suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

For her, the gourmet weeks are "a prime example of the combination of conviviality and enjoyment", which is also well received by young guests.

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