Freinsheim offers red wine hike Jan. 23 to 25

Fresh air, culinary specialties and fine red wines are what visitors can expect Jan. 23 to 25 during Freinsheim’s red wine hike, according to organizers.

The annual red wine hike in the wine-growing community of Freinsheim is known as the first highlight of the year in the Palatine vineyards.

The event will start at 6 p.m. Jan. 23 with a torch hike leading from the town hall along the
wine hiking path to a vineyard called “Musikantenbuckel.”

Interested participants will meet near the Baroque town hall that dates back to 1732. Torches will be available near the town hall and at a winery near the train station.
On Jan. 24 and 25, guided tours will start at 11:30 a.m. at the historical town hall. Wine Princess Anne II and a local music group will welcome hikers who want to join the guided tours.

On all three days of the event, local vintners will present various red wines, such as Dornfelder, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Saint Laurent and Spätburgunder, in their wineries and at stands.

To be able to warm up in this cold weather, Glühwein (heated, red wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon sticks) will also be served.

During the event, visitors can taste a variety of food specialties, including potato soup with dampfnudeln, meat dumplings with horseradish sauce, potato dumplings with mushrooms, bratwurst, grilled ham, cheese spätzle with red wine onions, goulash soup, pea soup, fresh oysters and scampis with spaghetti. Desserts will include chocolate cake with red wine plums, red wine cake and red wine muffins.

Food and beverage stands will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 23, and 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 24 and 25.

The Freinsheim soccer club will sponsor a 10-kilometer folks run starting at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 25 in the Oschelkopf vineyard. Interested runners can register online at www.br-timing.de. Starting fee costs €5. An extra €3 will be charged for those registering after Jan. 24.

Freinsheim has a medieval ring wall that dates back to the 15th century. The wall surrounds the old part of town with towers and gates. It is known as one of the nicest and most complete town fortification facilities in the Pfalz. For visitors, it’s worth a visit just to explore. Walking tours around the town wall, which take about an hour, are also available.

For more information on the city and the red wine hike, visit www.stadt-freinsheim.de.
To get to Freinsheim, travel on autobahn A6 direction Mannheim; take the Grünstadt exit; follow the signs to Kirchheim, Dackenheim and Freinsheim.