How does it sound: spending cozy, convivial hours with your loved ones while enjoying delicious food and excellent wines - wonderful, isn't it? You can experience all this in one of the local Straußwirtschaften. We visited three of them for you, feasted, laughed and let ourselves be infected by the Rheinhessen joie de vivre.
Winery Janson
First of all, we are going to the district of Alzey-Worms, to Vendersheim. Our destination is the Wine tavern of the Janson winery. We have caught a sunny day and can therefore sit outside. But where? We think briefly - the lounge, for example, looks very inviting - and finally choose a place in the lovingly landscaped vineyard. A great place to linger. However, the quaint wine tavern is also a good alternative, and not just in bad weather.
Every Friday until November 10, you can feast at Jansons and feast on their excellent wines (except August 4 and 11) - ideal for simply leaving busy days behind and also a perfect start to the weekend.
Our stomachs growling, we take a look at the varied menu: Delicious dishes such as tarte flambée, venison aspic, schnitzel with mushrooms and Burgundy sauce are available. We recommend the rich Rheinhessen dipping plate with bung cheese, air-dried bratwurst, cheese cubes, fruit and vegetables, and homemade seasonal chutney. Served with country bread, pretzels and baguettes. By the way, this treat can be shared wonderfully (but you don't have to).
A good meal should not be accompanied by a good wine: I am taken with the lovely Huxelrebe; my husband prefers a dry rosé spritzer. By the way, the Janson family is also a great place to spend your vacation - the guesthouse has five rooms and a vacation apartment. Another culinary treat awaits you if you choose the rich breakfast buffet the next morning.
Gottwald Winery
Hunger and thirst now lead us to the tranquil Lörzweiler. The Straußwirtschaft at the Gottwald Winery spoils its guests from Fridays to Sundays and is very picturesquely situated in the middle of vineyards. The Weineria has a chic guest room, which offers a magnificent view of the Rheinhessen hills. Today, however, we are again lucky with the weather, so we are naturally drawn outside. We climb a winding staircase to the roof terrace.
Once at the top, we first let our gaze wander over a spectacular sea of vines - a panorama typical of the region, but we will probably never get enough of it. A fresh breeze gently brushes our faces - very pleasant on hot summer days like these. I notice how I'm slowly leaving the stressful work week behind me. Our recommendation: On the roof terrace you can admire the sunset while enjoying a glass of wine or two.
But first, one thing is more important for us: What is there to eat in this Straußwirtschaft? Since it's asparagus season, I'd recommend the Lörzweiler asparagus spears with hollandaise sauce, served with cooked or raw ham. The kitchen also offers delicious dishes such as tarte flambée, wild herb salad or rump steak. I drink a fragrant, lovely Rosenmuskateller Blanc de Noir, my husband remains faithful to his beloved Rosé spritzer, as he so often does.
Event tip: Mark your calendars for June 24 - that's when the "Wine & Vibes" event with DJ Dee K will take place. The Straußwirtschaft is open until June 25. It continues on September 1 until October 29 (however, the Weineria is closed from October 6 to 8).
Wagner Winery
Finally, we visit Essenheim - again in bright sunshine. Just like the Gottwald winery, the dreamy village is located in the district of Mainz-Bingen. We return to the Wine tavern of the Wagner family in. It is open until June 25 and will be open again from July 14 (Fridays to Sundays and on public holidays; see the website for variations). The bookworms among you may already know Andreas Wagner: The vintner is known for his exciting regional crime novels.
But back to the Straußwirtschaft: We liked the Mediterranean courtyard right away. The smaller courtyard behind it is particularly enchanting: romantic half-timbering meets lushly blooming roses - a fairy-tale setting. We stay in front and let the atmosphere work its magic on us: children are happily digging in the sandbox, fragrant food smells fill our nostrils, and the first guests are already toasting each other. This sound motivates us to study the menu as quickly as possible.
I decide on a sweet cuvée of Kerner and Riesling. And my husband? Well, you know ... But he is also really enthusiastic about the dry Scheurebe. The small menu currently offers fine dishes such as merguez sausage with taboulé, cheese spaetzle, or asparagus salad and ham. The meat loaf with fried onions and gravy is virtually a perennial favorite in the Straußwirtschaft. A must: the homemade coleslaw, consisting of white cabbage and carrots; cranberries and verjus round out the salad's flavor.
Good to know: Cultural events such as theater performances or readings are often held here. The after-work event series also sounds interesting YOUNG STRAUSI with the "Wagner triplets" Fabian, Hanna and Simon.
Straußwirtschaften can be described with a clear conscience as a cultural asset of Rheinhessen. All three of the inns presented scored points with lovingly prepared food, delicious wines and a pleasant ambience. In short: A harmonious overall package, which makes a culinary break from the hectic everyday life possible. "No pleasure is temporary, for the impression it leaves behind is permanent", Johann Wolfgang von Goethe already knew.
