The most successful hosts in the Rheinhessen wine region are often strong family businesses. The interaction and cohesion of the families ensure that guests want for nothing during their stay in this diverse region. In addition to accommodation, they also offer wine shops with selected wines, wine tastings and much more. And our guests appreciate this. They experience the hospitality, the emotional connection and the commitment to the success of their own company at first hand.
Today we introduce you to three Rhine-Hessian host families in which each family member takes on a special role for the guest.
Julianenhof, Nierstein - Ideal starting point for hiking and cycling tours
The Julianenhof is run by the fourth generation of the Schmitt family in Nierstein. The Schmitts are winemakers and hosts with heart and soul, and the wine is produced directly on the farm. The winery, which has been in existence since 1618, looks back on a long tradition. The house, which used to consist of two halves and was divided by a wall, was converted and extended into one unit ten years ago. Today, in addition to a beautifully designed and spacious breakfast room, there is a cozy lounge, which is also used for wine tastings. The Schmitt family has used the corona period to completely renovate and modernize all 10 rooms and to design them individually for the guests.
The Julianenhof was named after grandmother Juliane Schmitt, who primarily looks after the guest house. Her son Jochen Schmitt organizes the farm, holds all the strings on the farm in his hand and advises on winemaking. His wife, Beatrice Schmitt, manages the office, looks after and advises the guests and also ensures that the wines ordered on the farm and in the wine store are dispatched to the winery's customers.
Son Laurenz has since taken over the winery and is responsible for the excellent quality of the wines grown on the Roter Hang in Nierstein - primarily Riesling and Pinot Gris. His wife Clara also works in the family business and supports both grandmother Juliane in the guest house and her mother-in-law Beatrice Schmitt with the administrative tasks. With Laurenz and Clara Schmitt's two daughters, the next generation is already growing up at Julianenhof.
From May to October, the Julianenhof is often fully booked at weekends. During this time, the Schmitt family organizes farm festivals, takes part in the wine presentations on the Roter Hang and runs its own stand at the Nierstein Winegrowers' Festival, which takes place on the first weekend in August.
The covered wagon rides through the vineyards followed by wine tasting are particularly popular with tour groups. Thanks to good train connections to and from Nierstein, you can enjoy the wine tastings without a twinge of conscience and without a car.
Jordan's Untermühle, Köngernheim: Wellness at its best
In Köngernheim, the Jordan family's dream and shared vision have come true: A family-run wellness hotel with upscale facilities, where guests can relax all year round and be pampered to the full. A dream that is lived and realized by the entire family. The whole family works together excellently.
Father Gerhard, the calming influence in the family business, has an eye for the "big picture". He is not only responsible for the ongoing structural development of the Untermühle, he also takes care of the beautiful outdoor planting on the estate with his "green fingers".
The hotel's own spa area with swimming pool, sauna and yoga room in the Mühlenhaus is a matter close to mother Martina's heart. The qualified yoga teacher has a very special feel for the wishes and needs of her guests. With her empathetic manner, she always manages to build up a personal relationship with her guests and maintain this beyond their stay at the hotel.
Son Niklas and daughter Luisa Jordan are also fully committed to the Untermühle. After training in a Bavarian luxury resort and working as a chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, Luisa Jordan now runs the award-winning restaurant "Lu's bunter Genuss". Here, the name says it all: colorful accents also play a role in the presentation of the varied dishes, which range from "crispy" to "crunchy", because, as we all know, the eye is involved.
Son Niklas Jordan, who attended the hotel management school in Heidelberg and then completed several professional positions in various hotels, is now part of the management team and is responsible for marketing, sales and personnel in his parents' business. He also creates the offers and packages for guests, takes care of communication across all media and is responsible for the external image of the wellness hotel.
The Jordan family is also currently planning another extension to the Untermühle. A completely redesigned hotel lobby with hotel bar, lounge and new reception will be built by the end of February 2024. The new complex with a direct view of nature underlines the fact that the Untermühle will remain a feel-good place with exclusive wellness offers and culinary delights in Rheinhessen in the future.
Landgasthof Engel, Schwabenheim: Enjoy with all your senses
In the beautiful wine village of Schwabenheim in the Selz Valley, the Immerheiser family has created a small paradise for guests seeking relaxation, wine lovers and culinary enthusiasts.
The 18 individually furnished rooms are spread over two country inns and a guest house. The rustic main building in Schulstraße not only offers cozy double rooms, but also the well-known gourmet restaurant "Zum alten Weinkeller" with a beautifully landscaped terracotta garden in Tuscan style.
The individually designed rooms in the "Casa Rustica" impress with their natural stone walls, old wooden floors and iron four-poster beds. The guest house "1895 Provence" was also recently completely renovated and the country house rooms lovingly decorated.
Another highlight on the Immerheiser family estate is the "Landgasthof Engel" in the oldest house in Schwabenheim. In the completely renovated and listed restaurant, guests will find beautiful dining rooms and a menu with regional dishes that leaves nothing to be desired.
Among the 30,000 or so guests who visit the Immerheiser family's winery, guest houses and restaurants every year, you can also meet the odd celebrity from showbiz, politics and business.
The calming influence in the family business is senior boss Georg Immerheiser. The 75-year-old planned the entire estate and its extensions himself and implemented all construction measures with his architects. It was always important to him to teach his two sons about gastronomy and wine. Family trips to various wine-growing regions in Germany and abroad have contributed to the fact that today each family member has a firm place in the company and fills their own part with passion. In the meantime, Georg Immerheiser has passed on some of the tasks to his sons. Today he concentrates on the office, administration and wine sales.
His wife Barbara keeps an eye on everything that goes on behind the scenes: She organizes the service, draws up the duty rosters for the 20 or so employees and lovingly takes care of the flowers, decorations and the entire interior design.
Sons Daniel and Dennis are responsible for the food and wine. Daniel, a trained chef and hotel manager, is one of the 700 best chefs in Germany. His wife Alexa provides support in service and, with daughter Emma (12) and son Finn (15), is already introducing the next generation to the diverse tasks in the family business.
The master winemaker at Immerheiser is his son Dennis. He is not only part of the winegrowers' association "Die jungen Wilden", he has also been named one of the 100 best winegrowers in Rheinhessen. The winery mainly produces high-quality Riesling and Burgundy wines, but its own sparkling wine is also of exceptional quality and is extremely popular with guests.
In addition to hiking and cycling packages, the Immerheiser family offers its guests culinary wine tastings with alternating themes for the different seasons, such as spring delights, vino and pasta, culinary summer nights, game and wine. A special highlight during Advent is the candlelight dinner with a storyteller and musical accompaniment on the zither and harp.
At a glance
Julianenhof, Uttrichstraße 9, 55283 Nierstein, Telephone: 06133-58121
Website: www.weingut-julianenhof.deContact: schmitt@weingut-julianenhof.de
Jordan`s sub millOutside 1, 55278 Köngernheim, Telephone: 06737-71000
www.jordans-untermuehle.deContact: info@jordans-untermuehle.de
Landgasthof Engel, Schulstraße 6, 55270 Schwabenheim, Telephone: 06130-929394
www.immerheiser-wein.deContact: info@immerheiser-wein.de
