Freinsheim sponsors red wine hike Jan. 25 to 27

by 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Hikers walk on a hiking path along vineyards during the red wine hike taking place Jan. 26 to 28 in Freinsheim. Courtesy photos

Editor’s Note: This article was published in a previous edition of the Kaiserslautern American and the information has been updated to reflect this year’s event.

The wine growing community of Freinsheim will sponsor its first event highlight of 2019: a red wine hike. The event under the motto “Fresh air, culinary specialties and fine red wines” will take place Jan. 25 to 27.

During the red wine hike in Freinsheim, participants get to taste a variety of regional red wines Jan. 25 to 27.

The red wine hike will take participants on the wine-hiking path from the town hall to a vineyard called “Musikantenbuckel.” Hikers can make a stop at 16 drinking and eating stations along the route.

Jan. 25, at 6 p.m., the event will officially start with Wine Princess Nathalie greeting the guests and a local music group performing next to the historical town hall.  Then a torch hike will lead interested participants from the Baroque town hall from 1732 to stand no. 1. The torch sale will begin at 5:15 p.m. right near the town hall.

On all three days of the event, local vintners will present various red wines such as Dornfelder, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Mietos, Saint Laurent, Portugieser and Spaetburgunder in their wineries and at stands. To be able to warm up, Gluehwein (heated red wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon sticks) will also be served.

Visitors get to taste a variety of food specialties — meat dumplings with horseradish sauce, potato soup, dampfnudeln, potato dumplings with mushrooms, pulled pork, rumpsteak with onions, game specialites, red wine onion soup, fresh oysters, lobster, scampis with spaghetti, salmon, spinach dumplings with cheese sauce, bratwurst, pea soup and Hungarian goulash soup. Desserts will include hot chocolate cake with red wine plums, red wine cake and red wine muffins.

Food and drink stands will be open 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 25, and 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 26 and 27.

Traditionally on that weekend, the Freinsheim soccer club will sponsor a 10-kilometer peoples’ run to and around the Oschelkopf vineyard. The run will start at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 27 at the club’s restaurant Harmonie on Dackenheimer Strasse 40 in 67251 Freinsheim. Starting fee is €5 if registering in advance at www.br-timing.de. Registration will be possible until 30 minutes prior to the run and costs €8.

To get to Freinsheim, travel on A6 toward Mannheim; take the Grünstadt exit; follow the signs to Kirchheim, Dackenheim and Freinsheim. Officials recommend going by train since the center of town will be blocked to motorized traffic. Visit www.vrn.de for details.