MDR television, 4.30 pm
Since the mid-1970s, the profound legacy of mining in Lusatia has been transformed into a region for tourism. New landscapes are being formed from the soil removed by excavators at depths of over 100 metres. The remaining holes will be filled by the water of the rivers. One lake after another is created and the dreams in Lusatia grow. When the excavators removed the earth in front of the village of Geisendorf, they came across old wine terraces. Once the excavators had disappeared, a mountain of mineral-rich rock was heaped up. The Wolkenberg. Bettina Muthmann and Martin Schwarz have started to cultivate vines there again. In a still barren landscape, the duo manages to fill wine barrels with grape juice from Brandenburg every year.
hr television, 11.10 a.m.
Anne (Henriette Richter-Röhl) is determined to convert the traditional family business completely to organic viticulture. Her new methods - and above all her decision not to use toxic pesticides - meet with fierce resistance from her neighbours. The winegrowers fear not only a pest infestation for their neighbouring vines, but also a loss of image for the traditional winegrowing region. The dispute escalates when Anne's vines are damaged and she fires back at the other side in an interview. She soon finds herself alone in the field. She is even threatened with expulsion from the winegrowers' association!
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hr television, 12.40 pm
A difficult summer is coming to an end for Bärbel Weinert: heat, drought, little water. Climate change: the biggest challenge of the coming decades. Can the award-winning Riesling from Geisenheim survive? What measures need to be taken now? Bärbel Weinert sings as the lead singer in a rock band, she once wanted to be a tornado pilot, loves speed, Sir Henry the sheep and the Rheingau. And she likes wine. She is the first female director of the Prince of Hesse's winery and is one of the few successful women outside the family winegrowing business in Germany. Donatus Landgrave of Hesse deliberately chose the young woman to manage his winery in Johannisberg/Geisenheim. The 39-year-old is to make the renowned Riesling estate fit for the future: sustainable, ecological, modern and high-yielding - in such a way that the tradition and quality of the successful Riesling is secured for the future.
hr television, 1.25 pm
The Rheingau and its wine have often been sung about - and filmed almost as often. But despite all the idylls and clichés, time has not stood still in this region either. Even in the beautiful Rheingau, residents - and winegrowers in particular - have to face new challenges. This includes dealing with the clearly noticeable "climate change" as well as the search for modern forms of production and marketing. And, of course, the Rheingau and its wine have also become somewhat "multicultural" and globalised. The film observes how the 2017 wine develops right up to the pressing stage and accompanies the protagonists in their work.
hr television, 2.10 pm
Experience the Rheingau from above in a gyrocopter in a unique way, paddle down the Rhine on a big board or hike through the Rheingau with a glass of wine with the new "Walk like a local" concept. These are just three of the things that Tobi Kämmerer discovers together with the viewers. Because he wants to find out: What else does the Rheingau have to offer as a holiday region besides world-famous wines?
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ZDFinfo, 7.30 a.m.
Around 30 billion litres of wine are produced worldwide, with a turnover of around 350 billion euros. Although present in every supermarket, the origin and history of wine are little known. The cultivation of vines goes back many thousands of years. But wine is more than just an intoxicating drink: in earlier civilisations, wine was associated with gods, and it is no coincidence that it still plays a role in Christian liturgy today. According to what we know today, the grapevine, botanically "Vitis vinifera", is around 80 million years old, a contemporary of the dinosaurs. It is not known when the sweet fruit came to humans in its fermented form as wine. Presumably as early as the Stone Age, as it takes very little to turn grapes into wine. All that is needed is a container in which to store the grape juice. The rest is done by the fungi that naturally germinate on the berries. They convert the sugar into alcohol through fermentation. Even if we do not know exactly how long people have known about the principle of fermentation, there are clear indications of where vines were first cultivated. The trail leads to the eastern edge of the Black Sea in what is now Georgia. Here, archaeologists have unearthed an 8,000-year-old Stone Age settlement. The finds leave no doubt: wine was produced here on a large scale. And from Transcaucasia, the know-how of its production spread around the world.
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3sat, 12.30 pm
In the small Italian village of Valeriano, on the terraces above the Tagliamento, the winegrower Emilio Bulfon cultivates old, autochthonous grape varieties.
hr television, 8.15 pm
The film journey of discovery begins in the Odenwald. Its landscapes are diverse and varied. Mountains and groups of hills suddenly alternate with wide, open and then narrow valleys. Film author Volker Janovsky visits villages such as Hirschhorn in the far south and Darmstadt on the northern edge of the Odenwald. And this is exactly where the Bergstrasse begins. The Romans, who cultivated wine along the "Strata Montana", the Bergstrasse, already knew that wine could be cultivated here, and Emperor Joseph II said of the Bergstrasse: "This is where Germany begins to become Italy". The route leads from Darmstadt to the southernmost point of the Bergstrasse, to Heppenheim. Travelling through the Odenwald and Bergstrasse, Volker Janovsky encounters wonderful nature, interesting people and excursion destinations that can only be found in their diversity in this beautiful southern Hessian region.
arte, 12.45 pm
The Rhône runs through one of France's oldest and largest wine-growing regions like a spine with vineyards nestling to the left and right. From Lyon to Provence, Rhône wines thrive over a length of 250 kilometres, alternating with the whims of the river and with aromas that are as rich in contrast as its landscapes. Although the finest wines have always been produced here, which even the popes enjoy, the local winegrowers are above all committed to their traditional roots.
hr television, 12.45 pm
Many people enjoy long-distance hiking. A camera team accompanied a group on their hike from Bolzano to Trento in the Cembra Valley, which is known, among other things, as a special wine region for the Müller-Thurgau grape.
hr television, 6.00 pm
The filmic journey of discovery begins in the Odenwald. Its landscapes are diverse and varied. Mountains and groups of hills suddenly alternate with wide, open and then narrow valleys. Film author Volker Janovsky visits villages such as Hirschhorn in the far south and Darmstadt on the northern edge of the Odenwald. And this is exactly where the Bergstrasse begins. The Romans, who cultivated wine on the "Strata Montana", the Bergstrasse, already knew that wine could be cultivated here, and Emperor Joseph II said of the Bergstrasse: "This is where Germany begins to become Italy". The route leads from Darmstadt to the southernmost point of the Bergstrasse, to Heppenheim. Travelling through the Odenwald and Bergstrasse, Volker Janovsky encounters wonderful nature, interesting people and excursion destinations that can only be found in their diversity in this beautiful southern Hessian region.
ARD-alpha, 7.30 pm
"Klimazeit" offers weekly background reports, categorises the latest results of climate research with experts, explains everything worth knowing about the climate in elaborate graphic animations, questions political decisions and shows constructive examples of what consumers, companies and local authorities can do to save the climate.
rbb television, 1.10 pm
French philosophy of life as a counter-design to the striving German everyday life. True to the motto: when the wine is open, it must be drunk. Yves Krummel has realised this dream in his restaurant "Bembel und Gretel" in Usingen and tells us about his not always easy journey. Of course, a look into the French cooking pot is not to be missed.
3sat, 6.05 a.m.
Wine culture, hiking, an exciting history and a lively everyday culture: the Siebengebirge has a lot to offer. The film takes you from Drachenfels to Mannberg. The members of the Belz family have been growing wine as organic winegrowers on the steep slopes of the Mannberg near Unkel am Rhein since the 1990s. Another stop on the journey through the Siebengebirge is the winegrowing village of Bad Honnef-Rhöndorf.
hr television, 9.55 a.m.
The summer of 2023 has it all: heat, forest fires, droughts all over Europe. Climate change is here - how can we mitigate the consequences? More and more farmers see agroforestry as a solution: rows of trees in fields in whose shade crops and animals thrive better, the soil is protected from drying out and erosion, carbon is sequestered and biodiversity is created. In Languedoc, the largest wine-growing region in France, winegrowers are now also planting trees between the vines so that the grapes do not ripen in August. In Germany, too, more and more farmers are recognising the benefits.
arte, 16.55 hrs
Sustainability - a big issue in small Luxembourg. The densely populated country is attracting more and more people, so the economy and nature conservation need to be reconciled. In the vineyards of the Moselle region, winemaker Corinne Kox is also experimenting with methods to make viticulture more sustainable.
3sat, 5.40 pm
The train travels south from Dreiseenland to the idyllic Lavaux, Switzerland's most famous wine region. After the tunnel at Puidoux, train travellers are treated to a magical sight: The Lavaux vineyards in the foreground, Lake Geneva shimmering blue behind them and the snow-covered slopes of the majestic Mont Blanc in the distance. The vineyard terraces of Lavaux have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. Christelle Conne's family has been running a vineyard here for generations and allowed the film team to take a look behind the scenes.
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3sat, 1.25 pm
The Vienna Woods, the wooded mountain region that stretches to the north and south-west of the Austrian capital, is Vienna's great green lung. The green forest belt is not only the most important recreational area for city dwellers, but is also responsible for the urban climate and good air quality. Life without the Vienna Woods would probably look very different. The Vienna Woods also have a significant influence on traditional viticulture. The municipal department MA49 is responsible for the administration and management of the 42,000 hectares of urban forests and 2,500 hectares of agricultural land.
3sat, 4.15 pm
Lake Neusiedl is a natural paradise and a melting point of different cultures. Monasteries and terraced vineyards, on the other hand, characterise the Wachau. The Wachau has been inhabited since the Stone Age. Monasteries from the Bavarian region began to cultivate the section of the Danube between Melk and Krems. The wine terraces they created still characterise the landscape today.
NDR Television, 2.00 pm
Luis Correia De Pinho imports wine from his native Portugal. But his small wine bar is about more than wine, it's about the Portuguese soul, says Luis. And what expresses this more than fado? Katharina Brass learnt this special type of singing in her home town of Lisbon. Fado means destiny, she says, and you have to be able to express it in all its facets with your voice. Just as life is, whether in Portugal or in Hamburg.
3sat, 7.10 pm
Heavy rain, hail, extreme heat and drought: Swiss winegrowers have to adapt to changing climatic conditions. More and more are focussing on biodynamic cultivation. They are strengthening soil life and vines instead of chemically combating pests and diseases. "NZZ Format" on new ideas in the vineyard. The young oenologist Catherine Cruchon sees the vineyard as a living, self-contained organism. Her credo: the more diverse the environment and the more vital and healthy the vines, the higher the quality and flavour of the grapes. Lateral entrant Philipp Grob from St. Gallen works even more radically: he produces exclusively natural wine from his biodynamically cultivated grapes, i.e. spontaneously fermented, unfiltered wine without additives. Natural wines often taste more raw, wild and earthy - thanks to the absence of sulphur. Olivia Blattner is convinced that the future of wine belongs to fungus-resistant grape varieties. This saves up to 80 per cent of plant protection measures. But the "Piwis" are still having a hard time: customers prefer to buy established varieties. She wants to impart wine knowledge in a fun and easy-to-understand way. Many people are put off by elitist communication about wine, says 34-year-old blogger, wine merchant and author Madelyne Meyer. She uses social media to reach a young wine audience that is passionate about topics such as sustainability and health.
3sat, 2.50 pm
The family of Ascensión Robayna cultivates their fields in the flat plain of the wine-growing region of La Geria on the island of Lanzarote. It is characterised by funnel-shaped pits. The vines grow on fertile lumps of ash, known as lapilli. They originate from the last major eruption in 1730 and only a single vine grows in each funnel. All the work has to be done by hand. It is the perfect symbiosis of man and nature.
3sat, 11.50 a.m.
Under the motto "Regional wines, regional cuisine, regional originals", the "Rheingau Gourmet Weeks" open up wineries and cellars to visitors that are otherwise inaccessible. The winegrowers' wives bring typical local specialities to the table to accompany the wine. The wonderful Riesling soup is also included.
3sat, 1.15 pm
Istria in Croatia is not only extremely popular with summer holidaymakers, but also with gourmets. The peninsula with rocky coasts in the west, lively bathing bays in the east and a fertile hinterland is one of the country's top gourmet regions: the finest truffles, the best olive oil and renowned wines without end - what grows there fulfils the highest demands.
3sat, 2.45 pm
Tuscany can also be tasted. This applies to Chianti with its famous wines and to Maremma and its good cheese. Tuscan cuisine lives above all from the good ingredients and thus from the wealth of small farms that you absolutely must visit when travelling through Tuscany.
3sat, 4.15 pm
Southern Alsace is characterised by the diversity of its landscape - from the vineyards on the Alsace Wine Route to the peaks of the Vosges and the lively city of Mulhouse. On the Alsace Wine Route, a winemaking couple have opted for sustainable architecture in the construction of their farm and converted it to biodynamic cultivation.
3sat, 5.00 pm
Alsace is primarily rural in character. It is noticeable that people know each other. In the villages, the dialect is often still alive, for example in Seebach, one of the most beautiful half-timbered villages in northern Alsace. There, the film team visits a Franco-German winemaking couple who produce organic wine and crémant. They say that Alsatian crémant rosé is on the rise.
3sat, 11.45 a.m.
The Wachau - 35 kilometres of the Danube UNESCO World Heritage Site, characterised by gentle vineyards and historic villages. The Wachau river landscape stretches between Krems and Melk. For many generations, the Wachau winegrowing families have ensured the preservation of traditional winegrowing here, which dates back to Roman times. The winegrowers thus look after the great heritage of the cultural landscape - from the vine to the wine bottle. The programme takes viewers on a special journey through the Wachau World Heritage Site. With special insights into the cultivation of the vines along the river landscape, which is characterised by painstaking manual labour. Intensive viticulture is mainly practised on often steep slopes. Stone terraces and dry stone walls characterise the image of the Wachau cultural landscape. The dry stone walls have to be renewed and maintained every year, an art of construction based on a very old tradition. The comparatively mild climate of the valley floor, with frequent sunny days and cool nights, has led to intensive viticulture for thousands of years. Without the "Vinea Wachau" association, the care and cultivation of the region would be unthinkable. With the aim of preserving this traditional cultivation method, more than 200 local businesses have joined the "Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus" association, or "Vinea Wachau" for short, since 1983. They characterise natural viticulture based on "thinking in small units" with a strict codex. "Vinea Wachau" celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023. The founding fathers include Emerich Knoll senior, Franz Hirtzberger and Josef Jamek. Old and young work together over generations to preserve the cultural heritage of the Wachau World Heritage Site. We experience the everyday life of the winegrowing families around Riesling, Grüner Veltliner and Neuburger and accompany the vines through the seasons from knitting in summer to harvesting in autumn. The documentary is also present at festivals such as the "Wachau Wine Spring" and the "Steinfeder Night" and shows the different sites, soils, the microclimate and how everything is reflected in the wine.
hr television, 21.00 hrs
Isabella Stirm from Burgenland has paprika in her blood and guides the viewer through her Austrian homeland with a lot of charm and a twinkle in her eye. Sometimes she goes on safari through the flat Pannonian Seewinkel, sometimes on the trail of winegrowers through hilly, green southern Burgenland. She meets food pioneers, winegrowers, rangers and many other locals who talk about their passion for Austria's sunniest region. She visits towns such as Eisenstadt, the smallest provincial capital in Austria, or the free town of Rust on beautiful Lake Neusiedl, which is known for its good wines and cosy wine taverns.
hr television, 9.45 pm
Remote and fantastically beautiful: off the coast of Cornwall, the mild Gulf Stream has created a small island paradise. Many hours of sunshine are guaranteed there. The Isles of Scilly are just under three hours by ferry from the British mainland and are a real insider tip. White sandy beaches, botanical palm gardens and inhabitants with a distinctly British serenity - it's not for nothing that the small archipelago is often referred to as the "South Seas of England". Presenter Laura Lange goes on a tour of discovery on the Isles of Scilly. She visits passionate gardeners who look after cypresses, opulent cacti and exotic flowers, meets a winegrower who creates an exquisite Chardonnay in an extraordinary castle, and explores secluded hiking routes and the most beautiful beaches in the UK while island hopping.
SWR Television, 8.15 pm
Cooking, baking and feasting again. Six country women are travelling through the southwest in the vintage bus "Willi" and visiting each other's farms. The women not only get to know each other, but also cook a three-course meal for each other in a friendly competition. From dairy cattle to viticulture: Barbara Grimm loves growing and selling wine. The trained interior decorator took over her parents' farm with her husband Michael in 2017 and converted it to organic farming. Until 2012, the farm, which has been run by the family for many generations, was primarily a dairy farm. In the meantime, Barbara and Michael have specialised in viticulture and arable farming. Around 450 hectares belong to the family business in the Franconian town of Külsheim. In addition to wine, the Grimm family grows a wide range of organic vegetables and cereals.
ONE, 9.35 pm
Detective Mike Shepherd (Neill Rea) imagined life in the idyllic wine-growing region to be more peaceful. As the newly appointed chief of police, he and his new colleague Sims (Fern Sutherland) have to solve the death of influential wine critic Paul Winterson (Alistair Browning). On the morning after the prestigious Brokenwood wine competition, the body of the famous jury member is found in a silo belonging to winemaker Amanda James (Josephine Davison). The fact that the former serial winner came away empty-handed this time and turned out to be a very bad loser immediately makes Amanda the prime suspect. With the help of his wine-savvy neighbour Jared (Pana Hema-Taylor), the inspector discovers that the competition was not run by the book. Now he sets his sights on the winners, well-known radio presenter and amateur winemaker Julian Bright (Peter Elliott) and his right-hand man Rob (Jeff Szusterman) at the winery.
rbb television, 1.10 pm
Theresa is barely an adult when her father, the celebrated Rheingau winegrower Georg Breuer, dies. Theresa decides to save the family vineyard, even though she is not a professional: she moves back to Rüdesheim, studies viticulture, takes over the business and is successful: she sells her wines in 25 countries and is named "Winemaker of the Year". But now her father's legacy is in danger: climate change is threatening the estate's best vineyards.
arte, 4.10 pm
The Emilia-Romagna region is also known as the belly of Italy: Whether it's Parma ham or Parmesan cheese, tortellini, tagliatelle or balsamic vinegar from Modena - everything has its origins here. The south of Emilia-Romagna is characterised by medieval fortresses, chalk cliffs and vineyards. The grapes are not only used to make semi-sparkling wine Lambrusco, but also the traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena.
ARD-alpha, 5.30 pm
There is plenty of female power on the lower Moselle. Women who know the world and love the Moselle: on the river, on the steep slopes, in the villages between Cochem and Koblenz. Whether drop-outs, returnees or newcomers - they are all newcomers and are turning their visions and life goals into reality here on the Moselle: with a lot of courage, energy, desire and heart for the region. Among them are the girls from "Russenhof" in Winningen, Rebecca Materne and Janina Schmitt. They have stomped a vineyard out of the slatey Moselle soil and are very successful with it. Graphic designer Désirée von Canal from the same town has realised that her neighbourhood is not in Berlin, but at home on the Moselle.
ARD-alpha, 8.15 pm
The south of Styria is gently undulating wine country and rich in tradition and culture, the Styrian way of life has a Mediterranean flavour. People here have always orientated themselves towards the south, towards Slovenia and Italy. Styrian farmers, winegrowers and chefs are proud to bring regional products to the table. This includes the rosé wine Schilcher and pumpkin seed oil.
arte, 9.35 a.m.
The Timanfaya National Park is home to a large number of volcanic cones. The island's fertile black soil provides good conditions for growing grapes. However, this would not have been possible without the help of a hardy working animal from Africa
arte, 7.30 pm
Baia Abuladze is a winegrower. At the beginning of September, the Georgian and her family await the highlight of the year - the grape harvest. Six years ago, she decided to give up her permanent job and return from the capital Tbilisi to the family's small vineyard. Even as a child, this was a magical place for Baia Abuladze, where she wants to realise her dream: to be successful as an organic winemaker with new wine and old traditions. This film tells the story of whether and how the 27-year-old winemaker succeeds. Traditions mean a lot in Georgia, and for centuries it was men who watched over how they should be lived and preserved. Baia Abuladze dances to her own tune. The 27-year-old Georgian is as charming as she is resolute. After studying and living abroad, she decided to return to her roots, which lie in her home village of Meore Obcha in the west of the country. Courageous, full of ideas and stubborn, she began to adapt the craft and tradition of the old people there. She found support from her grandfather. She founded her company "Baia's Wine" and relied on the family. Together they produce 7,000 bottles of wine a year. Now the aim is to produce 10,000 for the first time, organically grown, without chemical fertilisers and matured in the old quevris, clay pots sunk into the ground. Baia is still confident. But the weather has to hold out and she has to find enough of the few remaining quevris to store the wine in. Entrepreneurs like Baia herald change in Georgia. She looks for bridges between the past and the future and trusts in the strengths of others. When the going gets tough for Baia, she does it like the flea and the ant in her favourite fairy tale: To get her friend from one shore to the other, the flea mobilises the help of all the animals, big and small. This is how they overcome the obstacle.
3sat, 6.05 a.m.
Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes on earth. With an enormous height of over 3300 metres, it dominates Sicily. It is the portrait of one of Europe's most fascinating natural wonders. It erupts almost every year. The dangers for local residents have been limited since the upper part of Mount Etna was declared a national park, which cannot be built on. However, if the flanks in lower regions crack open, there is almost nothing that can stop the lava flow. Winemaker Chiara Vigo remembers how, as a child, she had to witness an eruption in the north near Randazzo that destroyed almost all of the family's vineyards: a catastrophe, as there is still no insurance against it on Mount Etna. She will never forget that the lava flow left a remnant of their possessions and "miraculously" suddenly changed direction, as Chiara recounts in the film. Together with her husband Gianluca, she now cultivates "Nerello Mascalese" here, the typical red grape variety of the few, approximately 130 winegrowers on Mount Etna. She appreciates the fact that the volcano not only takes, but also gives. The fertile and mineral-rich volcanic soil enables the cultivation of wine, olives, pistachios and many other things that characterise Sicilian cuisine.
arte, 11.40 a.m.
This documentary series follows the course of the Rhine in five stages - from its source to its estuary. The Rhine valley behind Bingen is considered to epitomise the German soul. The Rhine is now more than halfway to the North Sea. It has become a proud river - and provides material for legends, operas and wars. The Middle Rhine Valley is dotted with castles every kilometre and wine, which the Romans brought to the north 2,000 years ago. The Rhine runs past the legendary Loreley to the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz, past the Siebengebirge mountains to Bonn, which was the German capital for 41 years. The mineral-rich slate soils in the Rhine Valley are ideal for winegrowing. Bacharach also owes its wealth to grapes. The surrounding traditional vineyards on steep slopes are often still family-owned.
arte, 18.35 hrs
Baia Abuladze is a winegrower. At the beginning of September, the Georgian and her family await the highlight of the year - the grape harvest. Six years ago, she decided to give up her permanent job and return from the capital Tbilisi to the family's small vineyard. Even as a child, this was a magical place for Baia Abuladze, where she wants to realise her dream: to be successful as an organic winemaker with new wine and old traditions. This film tells the story of whether and how the 27-year-old winemaker succeeds.
Traditions mean a lot in Georgia, and for centuries it was men who watched over how they should be lived and preserved. Baia Abuladze dances to her own tune. The 27-year-old Georgian is as charming as she is resolute. After studying and living abroad, she decided to return to her roots, which lie in her home village of Meore Obcha in the west of the country. Courageous, full of ideas and stubborn, she began to adapt the craft and tradition of the old people there. She found support from her grandfather. She founded her company "Baia's Wine" and relied on the family. Together they produce 7,000 bottles of wine a year. Now the aim is to produce 10,000 for the first time, organically grown, without chemical fertilisers and matured in the old quevris, clay pots sunk into the ground.
Baia is still confident. But the weather has to hold out and she has to find enough of the few remaining quevris to store the wine in. Entrepreneurs like Baia herald change in Georgia. She looks for bridges between the past and the future and trusts in the strengths of others. When the going gets tough for Baia, she does it like the flea and the ant in her favourite fairy tale: To get her friend from one shore to the other, the flea mobilises the help of all the animals, big and small. This is how they overcome the obstacle.
Will Riesling still taste like Riesling in 2050? Climate change is causing problems for vines and grapes. "plan b" shows how winegrowers are looking for ways to save their wine - and the climate at the same time. The documentary "Edler Tropfen. The wine of tomorrow" by Cornelia Schulze and Thomas Mudersbach. The vineyards are suffering from extreme heat and torrential rainfall. At the same time, the production of fine wines causes greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The wine world and scientists are looking for solutions to this dilemma.
Estate director Ralf Bengel is responsible for the world-famous "Schloss Vollrads" wine estate in the Rheingau. For 27 generations, the aristocratic lords of the estate, the Greiffenclaus family, have cultivated a single grape variety: Riesling. And it should stay that way. But the weather extremes are attacking the plants. That is why the estate manager is working with researchers from the nearby Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences. Their ambitious goal: to breed Riesling plants that can withstand climate change.
Sicilian winegrower Arianna Occhipinti relies solely on the forces of nature. She does not irrigate her plants and trusts that they will take root deeper and deeper until they reach water from the soil. And all this in the very south of Europe, where a record temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius was measured last summer. Nevertheless, producing their natural wine without any additives pays off - for them and for the environment. Winemaker Franz Wehrheim in the Palatinate is pursuing the goal of producing wine in a completely climate-neutral way. He enlists the support of management consultant Helena Ponstein. She knows how wineries can improve their carbon footprint - for example when it comes to packaging. This is responsible for over half of the CO₂ emissions in wine production.