You are standing in the historic vaulted cellar of a wine estate, surrounded by massive rough-hewn stones that tell stories of times long gone by. The cool scent of the ancient walls combines with the earthy aroma of the oak barrels in which the delicious wine is slowly maturing. It took your eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light from the flickering candles in the cellar, but now you and your friends are standing almost entranced around one of the empty wine barrels, gazing into the shining eyes of the enthusiastic winemaker as she talks you through the wine tasting with a friendly smile. She is currently holding a bottle of Pinot Noir she has just opened.
The rustic vaulted cellar invites you to taste wines and sparkling wines from its own vineyards, Ahr valley
“This is a really special vintage,” she explains with a smile as she pours the ruby-red wine into your glass, “as many here in the Ahr valley are”. The exquisite grape juice slowly slides down the curved walls of the glass as you raise it to take in the rich, complex bouquet of fresh berries, with a hint of chocolate and a slight smoky, woody note. You swirl the contents of the rounded glass, watching as it sparkles in shades of red and gold, and you see the ‘legs’, the name given to the smears flowing down the inside of the glass, as you learned earlier in the wine tasting.
The region's most important grape varieties can be tasted at a wine tasting in the historic vaulted cellar, Ahr valley
A winemaker explains interesting facts about winegrowing and the style of the wines, Ahr valley
As you take your first sip, you experience a real firework of flavours on your tongue. You can taste the skill of the wine-making family and the pure passion infused into every single drop of the wine. This is the one. It is your new favourite wine! You cannot help but smile as you look at the winemaker, who nods proudly: “I knew you would like it.”
The Ahrweiler Weinwochen in the red wine metropolis of Ahrweiler, Ahr valley
You have travelled here for the Ahrweiler Weinwochen, a wine festival held on the last weekend in August and the first weekend in September, bringing the streets and squares of the medieval town centre to life. There are stands offering the best wines from the region set up all over the place among the half-timbered houses with their brightly coloured façades. The air is filled with cheerful laughter and live music. You had initially planned to come in October to enjoy the impressive Klangwelle festival in its 10th anniversary year, a unique combination of music, light and water that brings the night to life, but then you opted for this weekend which is all about indulgence and wine.
You spend a little more time in the wine cellar enjoying the winemaker’s stories and the authentic atmosphere. You will think back to this moment later in the evening, maybe over a delicious bite to eat or during a walk under the starlit sky, remembering the cool, earthy air of the vault, the sparkling red wine in the glass and the wonderful flavours on your taste buds. It is a moment you will always associate with the Ahr valley.
