Outstanding Vinotheks Details

The covered wagon is perpetually a crowd pleaser. It always makes an appearance when Josef Köhr and his wife Martina opens the estate's doors for an educational day. These days always start with a glass of grower's sparkling wine before heading off in the covered wagon for a multi-part wine tasting amidst a sea of grapevines. Along the way, the estate's wines will be tasted and discussed at various stations and the passengers will learn a tremendous amount of facts about the history of the region. But the real highlight comes when they reach the edge of the Pfalz forest, a UNESCO biosphere reservation, where the view opens up majestically over the broad Rhine Plain. There are few better ways to enjoy a glass of wine!

It's been over 40 years since Josef Köhr took over this family-run estate with a history stretching back 300 years. It's located on the western edge of the hills that ring the Rhine rift, with a side-by-side mix of soil types that ensures tremendous diversity in the wines. Its most famous sites are the Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad and the Nußbein, Hoheburg and Linsenbusch. The defining varieties here have been tried-and-true classics for centuries: Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Gris as well as the most important red variety, Spätburgunder. Köhr uses a three-level classification system for his wines: "Entry," with reliable, everyday wines; "Premium," with quality befitting named sites; and "Superior," featuring fine wines of the highest quality.

The "Winelounge" vinothek is the first station for all guests — a modern, elegant, timeless space stretching over 110 square meters, with a courtyard terrace offering another 100 square meters for visitors. The interior is designed in a sophisticated, matching style. Materials such as dark wood and concrete are supplemented by acrylic stools, with a green bench accentuating the long, white bar. An integrated restaurant, "Winelounge," serves seasonal dishes and regional specialties, all with a light Mediterranean flair. The choice of cuisine fits the region perfectly as here in the shade of the Haardt Mountains, plants normally only found in the Mediterranean thrive in the Pfalz's fertile climate.

The highly successful vinothek concept earned the Köhr family first prize in a joint Rheinland-Pfalz/Saarland competition seeking the Winery of the Year. Son Christopher is next up to continue the long history at Weingut Köhr. He studied oenology in France, Italy and Australia and looks forward to a day when he can bring his ideas to bear on the estate, the residence and the "Weinlounge." And the covered wagon too, of course.