Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Friends at the MarktfruehstueckGerman Great Wine Capital Network Member Mainz
Mainz in Germany is one of 9 wine capitals of the world, along with: Bordeaux (France), Bilbao-Rioja (Spain), Cape Town (South Africa), Florence (Italy), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), Christchurch (New Zealand) and San Francisco-Napa Valley (USA). This is the Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Network. Like Vienna, there are vineyards and wineries within the city’s borders.
Wine making in Mainz goes back to the period, when Mainz/Mogontiacum was part of the Roman empire. Today, the vineyard area of Mains is about 200 hectares. The winemakers are mostly based in the southern suburbs Ebersheim, Hechtsheim and Laubenheim. One of the winemakers of Mainz is the City of Mainz itself, which has its own winery. But it has recently been long-term leased to the Fleischer family and has become an integral part of their wine business.
Top 3 Mainz Winemakers
There are about 2 dozens of winemakers in Mainz. The top without doubt is Weingut Fleischer und Weingut der Stadt Mainz. In particular the red wines of Michael Fleischer are remarkable. Following are two young women, who are good friends. Eva Vollmer of Weingut Vollmer, Gault Millau Discovery of the Year 2010, and Mirjam Schneider, who runs Weingut Lothar Schneider und Tochter. I have reported about Eva here and Mirjam here.
Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Eva Vollmer at the MarktfruehstueckMainz Farmer's Market Breakfast
A good place to get to know the winemakers of Mainz is the Mainz Farmer's Market Breakfast on Saturday morning. There, during the warmer months of the year, the winemakers of Mainz have a booth where one of them presents his or her wine. Even with unpleasant weather conditions, there is always a large crowd hanging out for a couple of hours after having done the food shopping on the farmer’s market.
Pictures: Mainz Farmer's MarketThe Mainz Farmer's Market takes place where it always has: in the very heart of the city next to the next to the 1000 years old Mainz Cathedral. From dawn ‘til dusk, Saturdays throughout the year, farmers and distributors bring fresh produce, fruit, meats, savory foods, spices, herbs, condiments, meats, fish and cheeses as well as home-made specialties to sell here.
Pictures: Mainz MarktfruehstueckThe Mainz Farmer's Market isn’t merely a market – it’s an excursion. When I am in Frankfurt, I always try to go there Saturday morning, to do the vegetable and fruit shopping for the coming week and to have a couple of glasses of wine at the Farmer’s Market Breakfast.
If I want lunch and more wine, I move on to my favorite wine tavern, Weinhaus Bluhm, in the old part of the town. But sometimes, I stay at the Marktfruehstueck and eat something at the many stands in the vicinity of the Marktfruehstueck that offer quick bites - Tartarbroetchen (half a roll with butter, steak tartar and onions), Fischbroetchen (a roll with herring) and Fleischwurst. The latter - a sausage - in particular is a very popular quick bite in Mainz.
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You can't beat a Fleischwurst mit Broetchen at that market! I don't make it there often as the Wiesbaden Farmer's market is much closer for me... but I am hoping to head to the Mainz Weinfest this weekend - I will look out for the winemakers you mention. Thank you for the very local recommendations!
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