By Carola Meusel
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs Office
The city of Stuttgart celebrates Baden-Württemberg’s centuries-old wine tradition during its annual “Stuttgarter Weindorf,” or wine village, from late August to early September in downtown Stuttgart.
The middle Neckar region has always been known for cultivating fine wines, ranging from Trollinger red to white Riesling to rosé Schiller wines. According to legend, there was more wine than water in Stuttgart during the 14th century, which resulted in Swabia adopting wine as the national drink.
“The Weindorf is a fest that focuses on fully living and enjoying the Swabian way of life, and it’s a fest for all generations. Everybody comes together for good company, a glass of wine and a swell time,” said Axel Grau, the Pro Stuttgart Verkehrsverein managing director.
Every year, new, quality wines are featured. Grau recommends the Trollinger red wine, one of the most popular wines of the Württemberg region.
After buying the first glass of wine, a visitor can use the glass to sample wine throughout the fest and keep it as a souvenir.
Wine and food were meant for each other, and the wine village offers both.
More than 500 wines from the Württemberg and Baden regions can be accompanied with traditional Swabian dishes such as “Maultaschen” (meat and vegetable-stuffed noodles), “Zwiebelrostbraten” (roast beef with sautéed onions) and “Bubaspitzle” (potato noodles mainly served with sauerkraut). Only quality and freshly-made food from the region will be offered at the fest, according to Grau.
The menus throughout the various booths will also be available in English.
The Weindorf also offers patrons the chance to get to know downtown Stuttgart a little better and become familiar with a few of its most notable sights.
The fest spans from the Marktplatz square to Kirchstrasse and the Schillerplatz square. Here, the statue of the famous Swabian poet, Friedrich Schiller, oversees the wine fest. Some people say that the light-bodied Schiller rosé wine is named after him.
The Schillerplatz is framed by several historic buildings, to include Stuttgart’s old castle, the old chancellery, the prince’s building and the “Stiftskirche,” or collegiate church. The church is Stuttgart’s oldest Protestant church and the only monument dating back to the Staufen era, making it the city’s most significant landmark.
Another landmark in the square is the “Fruchtkasten” building. During the Middle Ages, the building was a storage hall for grain and also housed a wine press. Today, the State Museum Württemberg’s musical instrument collection is displayed there.
The fest is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and from 11:30 a.m. until midnight Thursday through Saturday.
Visitors should stop by the “Infolaube” information booth at Dorotheenstrasse (adjacent to Stuttgart’s Markthalle) for information and special offers.
Select family days feature face painting and live music from folk to jazz. Guided walking tours of the Weindorf in English can be booked by calling civ. 0711-6771897.
For more information, visit www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de.
