The Mainz wine market in the city park is a real institution among the wine festivals in Rheinhessen and for many locals and visitors even the most beautiful among them. It takes place every year on the last weekend of August and the first weekend of September. Then, when nature slowly prepares for autumn, the nights get longer again and a very special late summer mood is in the air. We have seven reasons for you why the Mainz Wine Market is definitely worth a visit.
1. romantic park ambience
Between the Old and Upper Towns, not far from where the Main River flows into the Rhine, lies Mainz City Park. Its origins date back to medieval monastery gardens. Today, the park is a popular inner-city recreational destination. Extensive lawns and large old trees are ideal for walking and relaxing.
Every year on the last weekend of August and the first weekend of September, the city park is the perfect backdrop for the Mainz wine market. About 50 vintners, mainly from Rheinhessen, but also from the Rheingau, from the Nahe as well as from selected international wineries offer their creations for tasting. In a convivial atmosphere and with suitable culinary specialties, you can really enjoy yourself.
Shady paths invite you to stroll, secluded places between flowers and fountains to relax. In the evening, romantic fairy lights illuminate the hustle and bustle, you can watch people and listen to relaxed music on various small stages. There is a very special atmosphere in the air!
2. good wines of good-humored winemakers
This special ambience is appreciated not only by the visitors, but also by the winegrowers. For them, the wine market is not just one of many wine festivals they participate in during the year. It is the highlight!
Jens Windisch from the Werther Windisch winery in Mommenheim and Nico Espenschied from the Espenhof winery in Flonheim have been sharing a stand in the Rose Garden for three years. The young winemakers, who are friends, say that they came to the festival through colleagues. That is not so easy! The organizers want to protect the unique and exquisite character of the wine market, so the number of stands is limited and accordingly exclusive. "After all, the wine market is not a carnival, but a valuable wine festival," both emphasize.
Your location in the Rose Garden comes with some responsibility. Every year, the sparkling wine festival is held here, hosted by the Rosengarten vintners. "This already existed 30 years ago" and should of course remain a permanent fixture in the city park. In addition to serving the wines and sparkling wines, they all work together to ensure a uniform look for the stands, the music program on the stage and the annual changing motto of the sparkling wine festival.
"Big shoes to fill, but also a huge amount of fun!" You can see that in the beaming faces of Jens and Nico. And by the countless pink flamingos that adorn the entire rose garden true to the chosen motto.
Below the Rose Garden is the stand of Daniel Mattern from the Winery Daniel Mattern in Mettenheim. By his own admission, he too is "wine market-damaged". In the best sense! He has newly founded his winery in 2011, but was also a regular before with the parental winery, which his sister has taken over.
For Daniel, the Mainz Wine Market is the most beautiful wine festival in all of Rheinhessen. "The setting is beautiful, the atmosphere is special and the people are all in a good mood." Every exhibitor makes a special effort here, he says. For Daniel, this is an incentive to present his young winery from the best side as well.
In addition to Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Burgundy, you can also try his famous summer wine "Rhabarber Spritz", for which he pickles 18 tons of rhubarb. Wonderfully refreshing!
3. vacation for the soul
Of course, wine plays the leading role in the city park. But you will find a supporting role for example at the joint stand of the Laurenz wine shop and the Cocktail bar Gutleut. Andreas Schnura and Fabian Heubel offer a selection of delicious cocktails in addition to Rhine-Hessian wines. It's that mix that does it! "The later the hour, the more popular the cocktails!"
The two are firmly rooted in Mainz and are pleased about the growing popularity of the liquid cultural asset in their generation: "In Mainz, people drink more wine spritzers than beer," they proudly reveal. "But sometimes it can be something else," and then Andreas and Fabian's stand is just the place to be.
And there is something else that speaks for a visit: Their location is elevated and has a slight slope. This makes the stand construction strenuous, but extremely rewarding. The view over the crowd and the atmospherically illuminated wine festival in the green is "vacation for the soul"!
4. noble food
The culinary offerings at the wine market are - in keeping with the style of the festival - high-quality, regional and seasonal. You'll be spoiled for choice between Rhine-Hessian specialties, cool street food and upscale cuisine.
At Noble beef the grill is in full swing and the tempting smell of sizzling delicacies is already wafting toward you from afar. Marcel Speidel and Petra Raab quit their jobs four years ago and opened Germany's first "meat boutique" in downtown Mainz. Traveling through South America, they both acquired a taste for good meat, and since then they have wanted to "make meat valuable again in Germany, too" and promote traditional butchery.
Both appreciate the "value wine festival" and were very pleased when they were offered their own stand at the wine market. The highlight of their offer is probably the creative beef sushi, but the grilled beef also tastes delicious. It clearly bears the signature of a trained meat sommelier.
5. history and guard
The Mainz Wine Market can look back on a long and exciting history. The first wine market took place on September 3, 1932, at that time still in the Mainzer Stadthalle. After an interruption due to the war, it was the first public festival on the Rhine, which was already held again in 1946. The French occupying power at the time provided 100,000 liters of wine for the occasion. In 1965, the wine market moved from Halleplatz to Volkspark and finally to the neighboring Stadtpark.
By the way, there is no wine market without the Old Mainz City Soldiers. Since 1936, they have been watching over the festival as the body regiment of the Mainz wine queens. The guard is a real institution and provides impressive moments with their uniforms as well as the fireworks at the opening and closing of the wine festival. Be sure to keep an eye out for them!
6. art and artists
The champagne festival is not the only attraction that brings you to the Rose Garden. The popular artists' market also takes place here every year. The handmade products of the approximately 60 artists can be seen! Jewelry, soaps, woodwork, scarves and much more - here you can browse, discover unique treasures and talk to painters, sculptors and goldsmiths.
If you have a soft spot for literature, a stroll through the adjacent antiquarian book market is also recommended.
7. flamingos and fun
We have already mentioned the artificial flamingos in the Rose Garden. However, real flamingos can also be found in Mainz City Park! Since 1960 they live at a large pond and inspire with their pink feathers and their typical posture especially the small visitors of the festival.
But the fun doesn't stop there. Next to the flamingo pond, your little ones can romp around on the children's lawn. A bouncy castle, face painting and fun games ensure that they also have an unforgettable time at the Mainz Wine Market.
Mainz Wine Market 2019
We have one last tip... A real highlight of the wine market is the Strolling wine tasting. You can experience an individual wine tasting at eight different vintners from Rheinhessen. Each ticket comes with a free wine glass and thus a stylish souvenir of the Mainz wine market.
