Bavarian Television, 11.15 a.m.
Traditionally, at the start of Shrovetide, people laugh, celebrate and taste Franconian wine deep under the Würzburg Residenz between centuries-old barrels. However, in 2021 everything went a bit differently due to Corona. But the Franconians didn't let that spoil their fun and went down to the cellar for a laugh with Michl Müller, Thomas Väth and Martin Rassau. Carnival star Oti Schmelzer presents the wine-tasting highlights of the past session and shares a joke or two himself.
Bavarian Television, 11.45 a.m.
Since 2003, BR Fernsehen has been showing the "Närrische Weinprobe" (Foolish Wine Tasting) to kick off the TV carnival. Stars such as Matthias Walz and Michl Müller made their first appearances here. They and many other funny impressions from the wine cellar can be seen again. In this programme, cult jester Oti Schmelzer looks back on the "historic" moments of the "Närrische Weinprobe". This much we can reveal: "Frech & Frei Retro" takes the viewers on a journey back in time to the beginnings of the programme - cabaret, jokes and thigh-slapping included!
Bavarian Television, 12.30 p.m.
For over 30 years, the cult programme "Fastnacht in Franken" has thrilled millions of people. Everyone remembers the legendary performances of years gone by, but the carnival speeches of the early years were no less impressive. Reason enough to take a look at the classics of Fastnacht history. Bernd Händel, President of the Franken-Fastnacht, invites you on a journey back in time to Veitshöchheim 20, 30, 35 years ago - with the Narr brothers, Heißmann and Rassau, Peter Kuhn and many more.
Bavarian Television, 8.15 p.m.
For more than 30 years, "Fastnacht in Franken" has brought joy into living rooms. The best of more than 100 hours of "Fastnacht" history is a must for every fan. The stars of "Fastnacht in Franken" recall their first appearances, stories beyond the cameras and the best moments with dance, music and carnival speeches. Germany's best guards and dancing girls will also be on stage in Veitshöchheim.
3sat, 11.45 a.m.
The second tour with the "Lecker aufs Land" vintage bus leads to Andrea Thielen on the Moselle. The trained occupational therapist completed an apprenticeship as a vintner only a few years ago so that she could take over her parents' vineyard together with her husband Peter. Working in the steep vineyards is the winemaker's passion. For her countrywomen's menu, she focuses on regional cuisine. Flour dumplings are a speciality of the Moselle region; in the past, served savoury or sweet, they served as a substantial winemaker's meal. Andrea Thielen serves them to her colleagues as a side dish to roast Burgundy. The expansive view and the tranquillity of the vineyards high above the Moselle give Andrea Thielen the energy she needs to organise her parents' winegrowing business. The steep vineyards on the Middle Mosel are cultivated by hand, as they always have been. Among other things, the family winery focuses on red wines and produces fine spirits in its own distillery.
ARD-alpha, 8.15 p.m.
The city of Porto in Portugal's north has become a cult metropolis. In spite of the economic and financial crisis, more and more young people are becoming creative and giving the port city a new face with their original ideas.
ARD-alpha, 1.30 p.m.
The Valais, Switzerland's sunniest region, shows its most beautiful side. The steepest section of the Glacier Express begins before Stalden, with a gradient of 125 per thousand. Slightly less per mille is served here in slanted glasses on the train. The glasses are slanted so that they stand up straight on the table when the train is travelling steeply uphill. The "Heida wine" served is local. Above the track, 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 percent alcohol is not uncommon. This is why the Heida wine is also called "leg-breaker".
hr television, 8.15 p.m.
Isabella Stirm from Burgenland has paprika in her blood and guides the viewer through her Austrian homeland with a lot of charm. Sometimes she goes on safari through the Pannonian flat Seewinkel, sometimes she follows in the footsteps of winegrowers through the hilly and green southern Burgenland. Along the way she meets food pioneers, vintners, rangers and many other locals who tell her about their passion. She visits cities such as Eisenstadt, the smallest provincial capital of Austria, or the pretty free town of Rust on Lake Neusiedl, which is known for its good wines and cosy wine taverns. A ride on a vintage tractor, a sightseeing flight on a Cessna and a canoe tour through the huge reed belt of Lake Neusiedl also provide unforgettable experiences. It will be an adventure!
Bavarian Television, 3.15 p.m.
The Lessini Mountains (Monti Lessini) are located in the hinterland of Verona, far away from the big traffic and tourist streams. Further south, the area becomes lovelier, with vineyards and olive groves: The Monti Lessini are an area of great scenic beauty and unknown cultural diversity.
SWR Television, 5.00 p.m.
Old fruit and vegetable varieties, handmade food without industrial additives, traditional recipes. More and more people are turning to what grows on their doorstep. The SWR series introduces such people and their products. This episode is about specialities from Alsace in France. Viticulture as it was 100 years ago is the future for Christian Binner. Here they plough with horses, heavy machinery is taboo on his vineyard. "We want to disturb the plants as little as possible," explains Binner. In order to use the whole grape, the winemaker's partner Michèle Ramponie produces cold-pressed grape seed oil from the seeds. It even tastes of the respective grape variety.
hr television, 10.10 a.m.
Election campaign in Rust: Thomas Stickler's sister Andrea Plattner is running against her ex-husband Georg for the office of mayor. However, the popular but politically inexperienced pharmacist rejects her brother's help: she prefers to rely on the advice of the smart spin doctor Felix Felsner. Biologist Karin Schwarz, on the other hand, just criticised by Thomas for her methods against mosquitoes, takes an interest in his work and helps with the grape harvest. When she discovers a dangerous pest and has a biological remedy for it at hand, Thomas is not only impressed by Karin's professional knowledge - the two also become closer personally.
ZDFinfo, 12.45 p.m.
The documentary by Anna Fein, Erik Hane and Stefan Hanf explores the consequences of the globalisation of the wine market for people and nature. The authors are on the trail of the dark side of wine. They research the working conditions at South African wineries. They talk to scientists about the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and fining agents in viticulture. In the Bordeaux region they visit, among others, an organic winegrower who tries to produce high-quality wines in the most natural way possible.
3sat, 1.10 p.m.
Bean mush, bean soup, bean strudel - two generations ago these dishes were often served. Rediscovered and partly refined, they are adapted to today. Beans were a staple food in farming families in eastern Austria all the way to Hungary. A special feature is the combination of beans and viticulture in the German-speaking ethnic group of the city of Sopron (Ödenburg), which is now in Hungary. An entire district here bears the name Poncichter (Ponzichter). The name is a corruption of the word "bean grower". It was aimed at the German-born winegrowers who lived there and planted beans among the vines. Fascinated by the history of the bean breeders, a young food technologist set out to find old varieties. The (re)discovery journey takes filmmaker Nicole Aigner and cameraman Markus Fuchs to home gardens and vineyards, to large arable fields, to the city centre of Sopron, to the seed archive of the "Noah's Ark" association, to the Earth Market in Lutzmannsburg - and also into the kitchen.
hr television, 2.00 p.m.
Isabella Stirm from Burgenland has paprika in her blood and guides the viewer through her Austrian homeland with a lot of charm. She visits towns like Eisenstadt, the smallest provincial capital of Austria, or the free town of Rust on the beautiful Neusiedlersee, which is known for good wines and cosy Heurige.
3sat, 12.45 p.m.
On his journey to the largest inner-city wine-growing region in the world, Michael Friemel learns amazing things about wine, women and song.
3sat, 2.45 p.m.
Tuscany is a place of longing for many travellers. Besides Florence and Pisa, Siena is one of the main attractions of this region. Tuscany can also be tasted. This applies to Chianti with its famous wines and to the Maremma and its good cheese. Tuscan cuisine lives above all from the high-quality ingredients - and thus from the richness of the small farms that you must visit on a trip through Tuscany.
3sat, 10.15 a.m.
Famous are the wine from Rioja, the cheese from Asturias mountains and special biscuits made of chestnut flour. In the Riera of Cambados, mussel gatherers search for seafood, on the gentle slopes grows the Albariño, an excellent white wine that goes well with the fish dishes of the region.
3sat, 6.05 a.m.
In the east, the grape harvest of the famous Georgian wines is in full swing. From there, the journey continues to the north: into the high mountains of the Great Caucasus, into wild valleys up to the most famous mountain of Georgia, the Kasbek.
hr television, 10.35 a.m.
Green oases on the Black Sea, mountain ranges on the coast and the dazzling metropolis of Tbilisi. Georgia is unmistakable. The country has only 3.7 million inhabitants. But they maintain unique traditions and customs that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The slightly magnetic sand of Ureki is said to have magical powers. The Javakheti Mountains are home to what are probably the oldest varieties of wine in the world.
hr television, 7.45 a.m.
Lake Constance is one of the largest and most beautiful inland waters in Central Europe. For thousands of years, the region has been known for its fertile soils. Apples were already harvested on its shores 4,000 years ago - today the wines from the region's top vineyards are world-famous. But the success of industrialised agriculture with its monocultures is taking its toll: birdlife has shrunk dramatically over the past 50 years. Around 65 percent of all native birds have disappeared.
SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.
The 58-kilometre route along the Maare-Mosel Cycle Path leads from the maars of the Eifel down to the vineyards of the Moselle. Behind Plein, you come across the vineyards of the Wittlicher Senke. Winegrower Thomas Losen swears by the quality of the Wittlich wines.
Bavarian Television, 3.15 p.m.
The south of South Tyrol is the area between Lake Kaltern and the Salurner Klause. Framed by almost 1,000 m high porphyry slopes and Dolomite mountains lies a chain of picturesque villages - Tramin, Kurtatsch, Margreid, Kurtinig and Salurn - connected by the ribbon of the Wine Road. In spring, when the fruit trees are in blossom, the valley along the Adige River is transformed into a vast sea of blossoms. For the farmers who cultivate this land with its orchards and vineyards, a busy summer begins.
hr television, 8.15 p.m.
The region along the Moselle offers leisure fun for the whole family: romantic wine villages and mighty knight's castles, hiking trails with breathtaking views and an adrenalin kick in the climbing forest, Segway tours through vineyards and guided tours through underground wine labyrinths. Tamina Kallert travels from Bernkastel-Kues downriver to Koblenz. Always in view: The vines on steep slate slopes to the right and left of the Moselle. While the Moselle cycle path along the riverbank has hardly any inclines, the via ferrata on the Calmont is only something for those with a head for heights. But the view of the famous Moselle loop near Bremm from Europe's steepest vineyard is worth the effort. Small towns like the listed Beilstein, also known as the "Sleeping Beauty of the Moselle", are fairytale-like. The Moselle has many faces and tourist highlights. You have to experience it, because the river is much more than a large wine-growing area that has flourished for 2,000 years. Farming and biodiversity seemed incompatible for a long time. But many young winemakers stand for a new generation and understand their vineyards as an ecological system.
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hr television, 10.15 a.m.
Thomas Stickler and the family support Andrea in the election campaign finale for the mayor's office. They canvass for every vote, while their opponent Georg Plattner is emphatically confident of victory. The surprise is all the greater when Andrea actually wins the election. Enthusiastic cheers from the Sticklers - and an emotional knockout for Georg Plattner. But the election results also have an impact on his wife Hedwig: she will probably no longer work as a secretary under the new mayor. Thomas and the biologist Karin take their time in deepening their still tentative relationship, both looking back on painful experiences. In the old wine cellar they discover the 16-year-old Ines Nowak and have to learn that the young woman has run away from a youth hostel.
SWR Television, 8.15 p.m.
This 90-minute documentary paints a portrait of this fascinating landscape and its inhabitants. People who have found a balance between modernity and tradition, between mass tourism and love of home. In eastern Liguria lie the Portofino peninsula and the Cinque Terre National Park with five picturesque fishing villages clinging to the cliffs like swallows' nests. Thanks to dry stone walls built by hand, grapes for the dessert wine Sciacchetrà, a speciality of the region, grow on the steep slopes. Heydi Bonanini is one of the last full-time winemakers in the Cinque Terre.
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3sat, 11.50 a.m.
In the Côte-d'Or département between Dijon and Beaune, almost everything revolves around wine. Red and white Burgundy also play an important role for the Rousseau family. Be it in the preparation of the typical Boeuf Bourguignon or the less well-known Œufs en Meurette, poached eggs in red wine. "At the table... in" this time takes us to Burgundy, where good food and good wine simply belong together. Jean-Marie Rousseau and his two sons have a lot to do with wine: they make oak barrels. The Rousseaus tend to be among the smaller barrel makers. It is a family business in which Jean-Marie's wife Nicole also works, she is responsible for the bookkeeping. But when she has time, she likes to stand in the kitchen and cook regional dishes for the whole family. The Rousseaus' cooperage in Couchey is located on the edge of the long wine region right on the road of the Grands Crus. On the flat eastern slopes, the Cistercian monks from nearby Cîteaux were already growing grapes hundreds of years ago. Against the frosty winds of spring, the monks built stone walls around the best sites back then. This tradition has survived to this day and characterises the landscape in this part of Burgundy. Like many other barrel makers, the Rousseaus now have their own ideas about which wood is best for which wine and how long to toast the barrels. Traditionally, the wood is heated over a fire so that the staves become pliable and do not break when they are shaped into barrels. Depending on where the wood comes from and how long and how strongly it has been fired, aromas ranging from vanilla to mocha can be created in the wine: a science that Jean-Marie can talk about for hours.
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3sat, 21.40
In the small village of Valeriano, on the terraces above the Tagliamento, the winegrower Emilio Bulfon cultivates old, autochthonous grape varieties.
3sat, 11.45 a.m.
"Kaltwassers Wohnzimmer" 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 what is not conjured up there. The philosophy: honest cuisine with natural, unadulterated products. And, of course, wine from the region's winegrowers is served.
3sat, 5.45 pm
Georgia is nestled between the Black and Caspian Seas, between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. In Kakheti, wine is still pressed in huge clay pots, the kvevris.
3sat, 12.15 p.m.
Extensive alpine pastures, untouched river landscapes, gentle vineyards and winegrowers' houses: that is Western Styria. The film introduces the region in Austria located west of the Mur. This is where the world-famous animals for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna are bred, reared and trained. Next to them grows Schilcher, which is made from the Blue Wildbach Grape. It was the Styrian prince, Archduke Johann, who had these vines cultivated on a grand scale. Only in the Schilcherland from Ligist via Stainz to Eibiswald does this grape variety find the best soils and the right climate.
hr television, 10.15 a.m.
On the initiative of Thomas and Andrea, Ines is able to stay in Rust and help Kerstin renovate the inn, which is soon to be reopened. Only the search for a cook turns out to be difficult - Paul, who is prone to jealousy, also has to give his approval. At the Plattner house, Hedwig is furious because Georg is feeling sorry for himself and because he once again blames Thomas Stickler for his misery. Meanwhile, Thomas' ex-wife Johanna and wine merchant Martin Strasser return from their sailing trip as a newly married couple and plan their future together in Rust. The rapprochement between Thomas and Karin, on the other hand, is much more complicated: Karin is attracted to Thomas, but is afraid of a too close relationship.
3sat, 1.15 pm
The Vienna Woods, the wooded mountainous region stretching to the north and southwest of the Austrian capital, is the green lung of the city of Vienna. The forest belt is not only the most important local recreation area for city dwellers, but also responsible for the city climate and the good air quality. Life would probably look very different without the Vienna Woods. The Vienna Woods also have a great influence on traditional viticulture. The administration and management of the 42,000 hectares of urban forests and 2500 hectares of agricultural land is the responsibility of the municipal department MA49.
3sat, 1.45 pm
The Zellertal - a heavenly piece of nature, situated in the Bavarian Forest between Bad Kötzting and Bodenmais. Man-made nature is the only major vineyard in the Bavarian Forest: it is located in Drachselsried in the Zellertal.
WDR Television, 8.15 p.m.
Four countrywomen from four federal states compete on behalf of their region and cook with their respective culinary treasures. The third "Land & lecker" journey goes to Rheinhessen to Shanna Reis, a passionate hunter and vintner. In her 3-course menu, wine meets game. For starters, she serves regionally typical 'Spundekäs' with red wine vintner's bread and homemade game crackers. The main course is saddle of venison with Jerusalem artichokes and for dessert typical regional specialities: red wine cake with Dornfelder wine cream, meringue and plums in Dornfelder sauce. Shanna surprises her guests with a trip to the Niederwald Monument. From the viewing platform below the Germania, there is a magnificent view over the vineyards and the Rhine.
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arte, 4.55 p.m.
The oldest wine varieties in the world grow in the Shavshet Mountains. Georgian wine is still produced traditionally. The crushed grapes, together with their skins, seeds and stems, are put into large clay pots embedded in the earth. This gives the wine a strong, unusual taste.
3sat, 11.55 a.m.
The most popular wine of the Austrians is the Grüner Veltliner, also known as "the wine with the pepper". It was not too long ago that the wine was bottled in double-litre bottles between Vienna and the Czech Republic as "Brünnerstrassler", served as "rescher" draught wine or, in the best case, turned into "Spritzer" with soda water. Today, Grüner Veltliner is sold in the upper price segment and served in posh restaurants in Los Angeles, bars in New York and luxury hotels in Shanghai. The rise in quality is mainly thanks to innovative winegrowers from the Weinviertel region. They relied on the unique aroma of Grüner Veltliner, which finds nowhere else more suitable conditions. For their film, Alexander and Nadeschda Schukoff go on a culinary-historical search for the causes of the unmistakable peppery-spicy taste of this wine. Framed by atmospheric images - shot in the vineyards and cellars of the Weinviertel in all seasons - winemakers, chefs, geologists, process engineers and microbiologists philosophise about how the pepper gets into the wine.
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arte, 9.15 a.m.
Located on the border between Europe and Asia, Armenia is a hub of cultures. The small Caucasus country is not only the cradle of Christianity, but also the oldest wine region in the world. Noah is said to have planted the first vines on the slopes of Mount Ararat after the Flood. Until today, viticulture is an integral part of Armenian culture.
arte, 11.15 a.m.
Italy - the land of pizza and pasta. But the boot has even more to offer: In the remote region of Garfagnana in Tuscany, friends Gian Luca Guidi and Andrea Elmi run a hostel. On the drinks menu, wine from the region must not be missing. Maybe Gian Luca and Andrea will be able to drink their own wine at the next festival, because this year is the first harvest of their vines.
3sat, 6.05 a.m.
About 100,000 apricot trees characterise the cultural landscape of the Wachau World Heritage Site - not only at the time of the impressive apricot blossom in April, which always attracts tens of thousands of visitors. The Wachau is not only known for its apricot blossom, but also for its winegrowing. Surrounded by vineyard hills and the banks of the Danube lies the village of Weissenkirchen, which together with St. Michael, Wösendorf and Joching forms the centre of the Wachau. The apricots are a trademark for the region, the name "Wachauer Marille" is a designation of origin protected by the EU. It may only be used for apricots that come from a precisely defined growing area on both sides of the Danube. This production from the ORF Landesstudio Niederösterreich paints a portrait of these "precocious little fruits". For "apricot", as the apricot is called outside Austria, Bavaria and South Tyrol, is derived from the Latin "praecos" - meaning "precocious".
3sat, 12.55 p.m.
In the south of Heidelberg, wines grow on a gentle slope facing southwest. It is the site Heidelberger Herrenberg. The title "sommelier" is not protected. After a one-year training course at the Heidelberg Hotel Management School, one becomes a state-certified sommelier.
3sat, 11.45 a.m.
One question occupies everyone's mind on the trip: Who cooks the best country menu? Six countrywomen are on tour together in a vintage bus. Today, the culinary trip leads to the Southern Wine Route.
3sat, 1.20 p.m.
Leisure oasis, nature reserve, region of pleasure and wine-growing area: Lake Neusiedl. The diversity of this area north and east of Lake Neusiedl is also given to the wine that thrives here.
3sat, 11.10 a.m.
In Butuceni, an open-air opera festival is held once a year. Anatolie Botnaru, viticultural engineer, lawyer and entrepreneur, organised it. The 52-year-old has lived in the small village for 14 years. He has restored abandoned houses here in the traditional style and has been as successful with international tourists as he has been with his restaurant. Here, Olesea Cojocaru keeps the kitchen running with the help of the village women. They cook according to tried and tested recipes and press wine from old vines. Once upon a time, the narrow country, which now borders Romania in the west and is otherwise surrounded by Ukraine, was considered the "orchard of the Soviet Union". Moldova's fertile black earth is among the best soils in the world. Sergiu Țurcanu, who has already lived in China and Turkey, knows that. Now he grows herbs, peppers and chilli rarities from all over the world in the middle of the capital Chișinău. And Grigore has discovered a future for himself in his parents' vineyard after years abroad. And by focusing on old grape varieties, he has found a niche for himself in Moldovan viticulture, which relies on mass production.
arte, 13.00
The region of Sandanski lies between the Pirin National Park with its amazing geological formations and the town of Melnik with its centuries-old vineyards - and offers everything for an interesting Balkan journey. In ancient times, the Thracian people lived here.
3sat, 2.20 pm
Croatia has experienced a real boom in recent years: secluded bays, vineyards, large forests, lakes and culturally and historically valuable buildings are responsible for this.
Vines, wine and winegrowers shape the culture and landscape of the southwest. Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg are the homelands of German wine. This is an important factor in people's minds. For the first time, a 90-minute television documentary comprehensively reflects this - with pictures and archive footage, some of which is almost 100 years old. The SWR documentary also shows the once hard manual labour of the winegrowers and the development of viticulture up to the present day.
Watch "100 Years of Viticulture in the Southwest".The video is available until 30.12.2022.