The wein.plus-TV programme in January 2025: Our TV tips with all series and feature films, consumer programmes, documentaries, travel reports and reports on wine, winegrowers and viticulture.
SWR Television, 10.50 a.m.
Friday evening on SWR television: 30 years ago, "Fröhlicher Weinberg" began, one of the most successful entertainment shows in the programme line-up. The recipe for its long-standing success was good taste, perfect live cooking, information about wine, approachable stars, authentic and playful situations, great music and an atmosphere of community - the sparks flew and the evenings were captivating. Presenter Guido Cantz revives this legendary atmosphere with presenters Johann Lafer and Ulrike Neradt and invites them, along with a surprise guest, to the modern studio that once housed the wine industry. Together, the group remembers the best moments and tries to find out what good entertainment on television should include yesterday, but also today and tomorrow: People coming together, developing a language and creating a sense of community through music, entertainment, food and drink.
ARD-alpha, 12.00 noon
The steepest section of the Glacier Express begins before Stalden at 125 per mille. A little less per mille is served here in slanted glasses on the train: Heida wine. The glasses are so slanted that they stand upright on the table when travelling uphill. Incidentally, the wine comes from the region. Above the line, near Visperterminen, is the highest vineyard north of the main Alpine ridge at an altitude of 1,150 metres. The wine tastes fruity and has it all. Up to 14 per cent alcohol is not uncommon. Heida wine is therefore also known as "leg-breaker".
Das Erste (ARD), 3.30 pm
The attractive Dianne Schönleber is actually happily married to her charming husband Heiko - or so she thinks. But when Heiko is on a business trip to Verona one day, Dianne receives an anonymous message that he is cheating on her. Without further ado, Dianne follows her unsuspecting husband to Verona and meets the likeable and mysterious Anton Brück on the night train - but the next morning he has disappeared without a trace. When she arrives in Verona, Dianne discovers that Heiko is not only cheating on her, but that his lover Viktoria is also pretending to be his wife. With plenty of red wine and a packet of sleeping pills, the wounded Dianne tries to forget her grief. Then her chance acquaintance Anton suddenly appears before her. He takes great care of the ailing Dianne and even takes her to an important business dinner with the renowned winemaker Berlinghieri and his wife Isabella the next day. What Anton doesn't realise is that his biggest rival for the upcoming deal is Heiko of all people. As a result, Anton and Dianne suddenly find themselves sitting opposite Heiko and his "wife" Viktoria at the meeting with the Berlinghieris. In this delicate situation, the cunning Anton sees no other way out than to introduce Dianne as his wife without further ado. Of course, Heiko can't reveal the masquerade either, so as not to jeopardise the hoped-for business deal with the conservative Berlinghieris. When the two "married couples" are invited to the Berlinghieris' vineyard a little later, events come thick and fast: While Anton, who is harbouring a dark secret, and Heiko do everything they can to outdo the other, Dianne tries to make her unfaithful husband jealous with all kinds of tricks and finesse - the beginning of a turbulent game of love, wine and infidelities. The video is available in the ARD media library until 14 January 2025.
 |
ARD-alpha, 4.00 pm
It's not just the wine cellars in southern Burgenland and parts of Styria that are fermenting, but also the atmosphere in the village pubs there. Because in this part of Austria, a very special wine is made that is part of the identity of the inhabitants. These wines are banned throughout the rest of Europe as they are said to make consumers "aggressive and ill", some critics even say "mentally ill". The campaigners for the much-maligned Uhudler see the bans as an economic war by the wineries in the EU against their traditional vines and their way of life.
rbb television, 1.10 pm
Sina and Sibylle Engelke's dream of a new start awoke in them at sunset with tapas and wine. Out of the office job and into the catering trade. Their aim was to bring the holiday flair of southern wine, tapas and a cosy atmosphere to Germany. But where? The couple from Potsdam and Mainz discovered an old half-timbered house in Fulda. Together, Sina and Sibylle venture a new start in Fulda, both professionally and privately. In the "Stella" restaurant, they try to impress with a Mediterranean concept.
SWR Television (RP), 6.15 pm
Deidesheim stands for wine bliss like hardly any other place in Rhineland-Palatinate. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the small town on the German Wine Route and find one thing above all: vineyards, wineries and wine taverns. Almost everything here revolves around wine. Stefanie Wiebelhaus designs fashion in winegrower's blue with the fabric that is otherwise used to make shirt-sleeved winegrowers' coats. Jens Ritter sometimes puts his guitars in Riesling before selling them to famous guitarists from all over the world. Birgit Rab-Paqué puts massive views of wine on canvas and uses them to wallpaper wineries. Where good wine grows, fresh, good ideas also grow. Deidesheim is full of them.
hr television, 4.45 pm
"Ladies Night" is the name of a gala dinner at the Rheingau Gourmet and Wine Festival. Margot Janse from South Africa will be cooking and Romana Echensberger will be explaining the matching wines. She is a Master of Wine, the absolute wine experts, an exclusive circle of 340 graduates. You can learn to taste and understand wine properly from her. And she loves cooking - she has come up with something special for the programme: Israeli starters with wine. For her, this is the epitome of joie de vivre: a large table with cheerful people, lots of plates and filled glasses.
hr television, 2.00 pm
When travelling to South Africa, you simply can't miss Cape Town - for many it is the most beautiful city in the world and also the starting point for this trip. The breathtaking landscape, the mix of cultures and the relaxed lifestyle make up the special atmosphere of the city on Table Mountain. In the east of Cape Town, good wine grows against a breathtaking backdrop, which is why you should definitely pay a visit to the Winelands and its farms.
3sat, 12.20 pm
The Loire Valley is known for its fairytale castles and excellent wines. But the World Heritage region also has a lot to offer off the beaten track.
3sat, 12.50 pm
Gardening specialist Karl Ploberger takes us on a unique journey to the Cape Province in South Africa. The country is known above all for its unique flora. Ploberger visits the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, two vineyards, a social project, a vegetable and fruit plantation and the historic garden monument "Old Nectar". A varied foray through the South African flora. The garden tour begins in the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with one of the largest collections of native species. One of the plants even has a connection to Austria - it is called "Weltwitschie" and was named after its discoverer, a Carinthian botanist. Wine is a must in South Africa. Some of the wineries also have marvellous, lushly flowering gardens. Ploberger pays a visit to the Vergelegen and Rustenberg wine estates.
arte, 18.35 hrs
This documentary series shows the fascinating nature of the island state. On the individual stages, which lead through very different regions, local people bring viewers closer to life and culture in New Zealand. Towering mountains, a wild and dramatic coastal landscape, the abandoned ruins of a gold-mining town, crystal-clear mountain lakes fed by glacial water: the Southern Alps on New Zealand's South Island enchant with their breathtaking landscapes. Today's gold in New Zealand is wine, as winemaker Nick Mills explains. Pinot Noir is the best-known grape variety from the southernmost of all vineyards and has gained international recognition. Just as ships full of hopeful gold diggers used to come to New Zealand, today they set off in the opposite direction, laden with wine. The programme is available online from 06/01/2025 to 07/04/2025
 |
MDR Television, 12.30 pm
When Ulrike Bongart inherits a vineyard near Barcelona, she meets and falls in love with the charming Pablo. She decides to start a new life on her Spanish vineyard - together with Pablo. What she doesn't realise is that Pablo is the son of an unscrupulous businessman who is after her property. The successful, cheerful landscape architect Ulrike Bongart (Jennifer Nitsch) can be completely satisfied with her life. She has a responsible job in a prestigious Hamburg agency, lives with her likeable daughter Saskia (Tabea Pietrek) in the large, elegant house of her mother Hanne (Ursela Monn), and Ulrike also has an attractive admirer in her boss Arno Flemming (Gerd Silberbauer). But an unexpected inheritance gives Ulrike's life a completely new turn from one day to the next: Her fatherly friend Henry Nissen has bequeathed her a finca and a picturesque vineyard in a small village near Barcelona. During her visit to the small town, the single mother meets the handsome, extremely charming Pablo Braso (Francis Fulton-Smith), to whom she is immediately attracted.
3sat, 5.00 pm
Northern France is home to wild and romantic coastal areas, some of the most famous wine-growing regions in the world, castles and cathedrals and one of the most beautiful cities in the world: Paris. There are so many castles and palaces in the Loire Valley alone that not all of them can be shown in the film. The beauty of the park at Versailles is revealed from the air, as is the wild power of the Atlantic Ocean that laps the coast of Brittany. Whether Chablis, Burgundy or Champagne - many of the northern French landscapes are inextricably linked with viticulture, and their names evoke associations of luxury and pleasure. One of the oldest vineyards in France is Clos de Vougeot, created by Cistercian monks at the beginning of the 12th century. In the Ardennes and along the Normandy coast, many fortresses, bunkers and military cemeteries still remind us of the battles of the two world wars that were fought in this part of the country.
3sat, 5.45 pm
The south of France combines the beauty of nature and culture. From the castles of the Pyrenees, the journey leads across the Massif Central to Provence and the Côte d'Azur. Monuments from Roman times, such as the Pont du Gard, remind us of the importance of southern France since ancient times. Aerial photographs emphasise the traces of history. But modern buildings are also impressive - such as the 270 metre high Millau Viaduct. Even if the south of France is more popular with tourists than the north of the country: France has something to offer for every taste - be it the very different coasts on the Atlantic and Mediterranean, unspoilt landscapes such as the Camargue or the gorges of Ardèche and Tarn; beautiful towns and villages, historical sites or the glamour of the sophisticated Côte d'Azur. The vineyards around Bordeaux and the pilgrimage site of Lourdes also attract visitors from all over the world.
 |
WDR Television, 6.15 pm
Georgian restaurants are a new trend in Germany - and one of the most successful belongs to Natia Torchinava. The 27-year-old opened her restaurant "So Re" during the coronavirus pandemic with two employees on her own. She now has 15 employees, but still spends four days a week in the kitchen herself. And she educates. For example, about the fact that Georgia is considered the cradle of viticulture. Over 500 local grapes have been recorded. Many winegrowers search for lost grape varieties in their vineyards or in the wilderness and breed them again.
arte, 10.45 a.m.
Since ancient times, the Mediterranean has been one of the most important trade routes. Today it is more of a border between Europe and Africa. What connects the different cultures? What history do we have in common? Journalists Sineb El Masrar and Jaafar Abdul Karim seek answers to these and other questions. Today's destination: Cyprus. In the sea off the south coast is the origin of all love. According to legend, Aphrodite was born here. Cyprus is one of the oldest civilisations in the Mediterranean: Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Ottomans and British all landed here. Journalist Sineb El Masrar begins her tour in the Troodos Mountains, where she tastes award-winning Cypriot wine. She first travels to the Troodos Mountains and meets the winemaker Lefteris Mohianakis and his wife Kristina, who have realised a lifelong dream here. Sineb tastes the Greek-Cypriot couple's award-winning dessert wine. The programme is available online from 12/01/2025 to 12/02/2025.
 |
3sat, 11.50 a.m.
"Kaltwasser's Living Room" is located in Zwingenberg at the foot of the Odenwald and is a nice little restaurant. Marc Kaltwasser and his family also live in the old half-timbered house. From the courtyard, you can see into the kitchen - and all the things they conjure up there. The philosophy: honest cuisine with natural, unadulterated products. And, of course, wine from local winegrowers is served. The menu reads like this: "vorneweg" are the starters, "middedrin" the main courses, and then comes "hinnenach".
ZDFinfo, 9.00 a.m.
Why do we eat, what do we eat and how did it develop? Celebrity chef Christian Rach embarks on a journey through the cultural history of cooking and eating. For many centuries, wine has been an integral part of a sophisticated table. At Eberbach Monastery in the Rheingau region, Christian Rach learns what it meant to pick the grapes by hand and press them in wooden presses. An effort that was gladly accepted. Because the consumption of wine and beer used to be higher than it is today due to the often poor water quality.
3sat, 1.15 pm
At 36 kilometres, the Wachau is only a short section of the 2800-kilometre-long Danube - and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This documentary shows the charms of this Austrian cultural and natural landscape through the changing seasons. The winding Danube valley, the alluvial forests, rock formations and the man-made vineyard terraces are UNESCO natural monuments. The Wachau is also famous for its idyllic villages, monasteries and castles. The Wachau has been a wine-growing region since Roman times - today the "Land am Strome" is internationally renowned for its excellent wines.
 |
ZDFinfo, 7.30 pm
Aminata drives out to the countryside, to the Rheingau. There she meets Sophie and Max Egert. The two siblings have taken over their parents' vineyard. The almost ten hectares of vineyards alone have a value in the low six-figure range. The young winegrowers say that it is almost impossible to run a winery without inheriting the land. Max and Sophie are aware of their privilege, but as they have no plans to sell the vineyard, being winegrowers means a lot of hard work and risks for them. After all, winegrowing is a back-breaking job and the money they earn is largely spent on new machinery and equipment. The Egerts are also worried about rising energy costs and inflation. They would actually have to increase their sales prices considerably, but will the customer go along with this?
hr television, 4.00 pm
Even when the last work in the vineyards is done in December, the Rheingau is not in hibernation. This is when people celebrate and enjoy themselves behind the walls of villas, monasteries and castles, and in a particularly elegant way. In the candlelit ballroom of Schloss Vollrads, film author Nina Thomas presents dishes from the Greiffenclau family's old menus. There she also experiences the ice wine harvest in the middle of the night in the freezing cold. In a sparkling wine cellar in Geisenheim, a whole menu is cooked to accompany the Rheingau sparkling wines. In Eberbach Monastery, there's something hearty in the tavern and lots of tasty appetisers at the opening of the Rheingau Gourmet Festival. The festival itself takes place at the Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim: Anton Mosimann, the chef behind William and Kate's wedding menus, will be cooking a gala dinner there.
hr television, 11.10 pm
Detective Mike Shepherd 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 have to solve the death of influential wine critic Paul Winterson. 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. 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. Shepherd also learns that there was a secret private connection between her and the victim, which Amanda is not keen to discuss. Despite these clues, Shepherd approaches his investigation with an open mind and follows all the leads. With the help of his wine-savvy neighbour Jared, the detective discovers that the competition was not run by the book. Now he sets his sights on the winners, the well-known radio presenter and amateur winemaker Julian Bright and his right-hand man Rob at the winery. When Shepherd uncovers an elaborate hoax, he enlists the help of Amanda, the previous prime suspect, to investigate the evidence.
3sat, 12.45 pm
The Lake Geneva region is Switzerland in miniature. It encompasses everything for which the Swiss Confederation is known and loved. Snow-capped mountains, clear lakes, cheese with holes in it and tranquil towns, from idyllic villages to cities with an international flair, including banks and watch shops: Michael Friemel wants to experience it all - and is not disappointed during his visit. He trudges through the snow, goes out on Lake Geneva with fishermen, cooks specialities in a typical restaurant and tastes wine from the UNESCO Lavaux wine terraces. He also visits a spectacular knight's castle built between rocks and water, a clock museum and the Charlie Chaplin Museum "Chaplin's World" above Vevey, which only opened in 2016. The only place he doesn't visit is Geneva itself, but that is not part of the Lake Geneva region, the area of which coincides with the canton of Vaud. The metropolis of Geneva has its own canton.
 |
3sat, 3.30 pm
A journey through the northern Apennines shows where the true heart of Italy beats: in the green forests, the deserted villages and the hilly landscape of the mountain range. The Apennines stretch from Liguria across the Italian boot to Calabria at the tip of the boot. The mountain region between the cultural cities of Bologna and Florence is still only known to a few. Twenty-year-old Andrea Barrani dreams of producing his own wine on the steep slopes of the Cinque Terre.
3sat, 5.45 a.m.
Historical sites and picturesque nature: Croatia offers impressive scenic and cultural diversity in a small area. It is no coincidence that the country is experiencing a tourism boom. During the journey along the Adriatic coast, you will learn more about Croatia's history and meet exciting characters: from the employee of a seawater saltworks to a winemaker from the island of Hvar and teachers at the stonemasonry school in Pučišća.
3sat, 2.20 pm
Croatia has experienced a real boom in recent years: cosy bays, vineyards, large forests, lakes and buildings of cultural and historical value are responsible for this. Wine routes, tradition and old craftsmanship as well as a wide range of gastronomy characterise Croatia from Zagreb to the Plitvice Lakes and the coast of Istria.
Bavarian Television, 7.30 pm
Franconian culinary delights and sights along the Castle Road are on the itinerary of "Landgasthäuser" this time. From romantic Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the route leads through the southernmost vineyards of Franconia to the Frankenhöhe in the Upper Altmühl Valley. In the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the secret of the legendary Meistertrunk is revealed. After a walk through Franconia's southernmost vineyards, you can see a masterpiece by sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider in the town church. An exploratory tour of the Franconian Heights with a nature park ranger is on the programme before heading into the over 1,000-year-old walls of the imposing Hohenzollern castle of Colmberg in the Upper Altmühl Valley.
hr television, 12.15 pm
This time, "Hessen from above" flies over churches and monasteries with a helicopter and drone. This provides insights into the most hidden places that would not be accessible from the ground. The tour leads through the whole of Hesse. Some of the most important churches and monasteries will be flown over. The Rheingau with the famous Eberbach Monastery, the cradle of viticulture in the Rheingau, will also be flown around.
3sat, 2.00 a.m.
No one would have thought that Rattey Castle near Woldegk would one day be home to one of the largest vineyards in northern Germany. The foundation stone was laid in 1999 by a group of private winegrowers. They planted 300 vines to later make the first Mecklenburg country wine from the grapes. They admit today that it tasted "... more bad than good". 25 years later, things look different: Ratteyer wines are winning gold and silver medals at international competitions. In order to get all the grapes from the vines, a full harvesting machine is used. After this year's harvest, the head of the winery, Stefan Schmidt, expects a yield of around 80,000 litres of red and white wine from the Regent, Phoenix, Solaris, Blütenmuskateller and Monarch varieties. The Ratteyer winegrowers have a total of 16 different grape varieties to offer. And they have invested several million euros over the past few years. Among other things, a new winery with huge tanks has been built. An investment that never ceases to amaze visitors.