Estate vinothek and tasting bar of the 1785-founded Fitz-Ritter wine and Sekt estate in Bad Duerkheim. Bottle-fermented Sekt alongside estate Riesling and Pinot wines in a vaulted cellar setting.
The list: Estate vinothek and tasting bar of the 1785-founded Fitz-Ritter Sekt and wine estate, pouring estate Sekt traditional method alongside Pfalz Riesling and Pinot wines
Pours: Fitz-Ritter Sekt brut, Bad Duerkheim Riesling, Spaetburgunder
Pfalz restaurant inside the 1934 Duerkheimer Riesenfass, an oversized wine barrel monument. Two floors plus the attached Buett seat 430 plus 120 guests, with over 150 Bad Duerkheim wines on the list.
Self-guided wine festival walk through the Bad Duerkheim Wurstmarkt, the wine festival held the second and third weekends of September around the Riesenfass. Over 150 Bad Duerkheim wines from 50 stations.
Family Edelbrand distillery in Bad Duerkheim founded 1996 by Axel Hubach, a trained master gardener. Estate-grown old and rare fruit varieties harvested by hand are pot-distilled into Williams pear, cherry, mirabelle and quince brandies.
Tasting: Distillery and orchard visits with tastings by arrangement; on-site Hofladen shop with seasonal Edelbrand release tastings
The 1934 Duerkheimer Riesenfass in Bad Duerkheim was built as an oversized wine barrel monument, 15 metres long and 13.5 metres across, built from approximately 200 Black Forest fir trees. The interior houses a Pfalz restaurant and event hall.
The Bad Duerkheim Wurstmarkt has been held on the second and third weekends of September since 1417, drawing more than 600,000 annual visitors. Over 150 Bad Duerkheim wines pour from around 50 stations around the Riesenfass.
Alexander Pflueger at Bad Duerkheim farms 38 hectares of Mittelhaardt vineyards in certified Demeter-biodynamic viticulture since 2008, working Riesling and the Burgunder family from sites around Bad Duerkheim, Ungstein and Wachenheim.
Tip: Combine a Pflueger tasting with a Duerkheimer Spielberg vineyard walk; the estate runs Demeter-biodynamic vineyard tours on weekend mornings.