WDR Television, 7.30 a.m.
Germans are the world's biggest fans of sparkling wine - of the approximately two billion bottles produced each year, one in five is drunk here. Reporter Sven Kroll sets out on a journey and takes a look behind the scenes at Germany's oldest sparkling wine producer. He learns from a winemaker how sparkling wine is made and what makes it so special. And he goes on a tasting tour with a sommelier. What does sparkling wine cost to produce and why are there such wide price ranges? Can the sommelier distinguish discount sparkling wine from a vintner's pearl wine? And how much are sparkling wine lovers prepared to pay for a bottle?
Swiss Television SRF 1, 11.25 a.m.
Three countrywomen from Switzerland have to prove their exquisite cooking skills. Under time pressure, two countrywomen each cook for the respective host family. Helen Imhof from Balterswil, Barbara Matter from Rumendingen and Aurélia Joly from Grandvaux take on this challenge. This time Helen Imhof from Thurgau and Barbara Matter from Emmental travel to Grandvaux, a small village in the middle of the Lavaux vineyards. The hostess, wine farmer Aurélia Joly, allows herself to be pampered with a massage on her afternoon off, while the two of them have a bit of a headache with the French New Year's Eve menu. At the festive New Year's Eve table decorated with vines, the third and last countrywomen's feast is thoroughly enjoyed and discussed.
ARD-alpha, 1.00 p.m.
Hardly any other product has accompanied mankind as long as wine. Since the 6th century BC, viticulture and man have been linked. We in "Planet Wissen" visit the only university in Germany where you can study viticulture and oenology. "Planet Wissen" asks what wine and climate change have to do with each other and how vines can cope better with drought. It is about fungus-resistant grape varieties and how to influence the alcohol content of wine without changing its character. We talk about alcohol-reduced and alcohol-free wine. And about the new trend towards organic viticulture. Guests in the studio: - Yvette Wohlfahrt, Institute for Viticulture at the Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences - Romana Echensperger, Master of Wine
Swiss Television SRF 1, 9.05 a.m.
Valposchiavo is the most southeastern corner of Switzerland: characterised by the mountains and its location facing Italy. The border with Italy is close, and it has become very permeable. This is mainly thanks to the Graubünden winegrowers, who have been growing their wine in the Valtellina for generations.
arte, 12.10 p.m.
In southern Burgenland a special wine is pressed: the Uhudler. It is part of the identity of this region. In the rest of Europe, the wines are banned because they are said to make consumers "aggressive and sick", some critics even say "mentally ill". But campaigners for the scolded Uhudler see the bans as an economic war by large producers in the EU against traditional vines and way of life. Matthias Mirth produces this wine, which was banned for a long time - and which still has to fight prejudices today. "No one has ever gone stupid with me," he likes to joke when his guests order their third quart in the pub. And now, at the latest, it is clear to him: Uhudler is an "original drink" that in recent years has transformed from a house wine into a cult wine. "The ban in the EU has brought us attention, and I try to use that to debunk the pretended reasons for the bans," he says. That's why he meets with fellow winegrowers in the typical warehouses built right next to the vineyards, which are almost like conspiratorial meeting places, to plan new actions. Things are quite different with Thomas Waitz. He sits in the EU Parliament for the Austrian Greens. He closely observes what goes on in the Council of Ministers. Agricultural policy, which includes viticulture, is driven by strong national interests. The natural organic Uhudler is a thorn in the side of the spraying competition. The reportage accompanies the struggle of a small region for recognition of its regional products.
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WORLD, 23.05
The Coastal Pacific travels through New Zealand's picturesque landscape on a rebuilt line that was once completely destroyed by an earthquake. The tour starts in Christchurch, the largest city of the South Island, and leads through the green Canterbury Plain. It then continues along the coast between steep slopes and the Pacific Ocean to Kaikoura. From here the train travels to Blenheim in the country's famous wine-growing region.
Bavarian Television, 12.05 p.m.
For a long time, nobody in New Zealand thought about viticulture. It was not until the 1970s that a few brave people tried it - and succeeded. Today, Marlborough County is one of the largest wine-growing areas in the country. If you continue along the highway towards the coast, you will come to Havelock, the self-proclaimed world metropolis for green-lipped mussels.
ZDF info, 19.30
From trader in the Jewish ghetto to powerful banker: Mayer Amschel Rothschild and his sons created a European banking empire and became part of Europe's influential elite. In addition to private banks that still exist today, they also devoted themselves to viticulture.
SWR Television, 5.30 a.m.
More than half of Germany's southwest is formed by mountain plateaus and low mountain ranges. In the Eifel, volcanic eruptions have piled up craters. Rain has turned them into lakes. Along the vineyards of the Moselle, the route leads into the Middle Rhine Valley, where the Hunsrück slopes steeply down to the Rhine. In Bad Dürkheim, Palatinate oak is processed: Benjamin Scherf makes high-quality barrique barrels here.
3sat, 12.00 p.m.
In the "Goldenpass Belle Époque" from Montreux to the Bernese Oberland The historic "Goldenpass Belle Époque", a replica of the Golden Mountain Pullman Express of the 1930s, is a train in a class of its own. It offers nostalgia, luxury and adventure at the same time. Twice a day it travels from the palm-fringed shore in Montreux to Zweisimmen in the Bernese Oberland. It winds its way through the vineyards of picturesque Lavaux.
arte, 1.30 p.m.
For centuries, champagne has contributed to the reputation of French wines. In Epernay, everything seems peaceful on the surface, but under the ground it is boiling violently.
ZDF, 22.15
46,000 kilometres of coastline spread over 22 countries: the Mediterranean is the bathtub of Europe, a sea route for freighters from all over the world and for people from the poor countries of Africa. On the way to the Bekaa Plain, which is partly controlled by the Hezbollah militia, the ZDF team comes across a small miracle: the temple complexes of Baalbek are among the largest and best-preserved examples of Roman architecture from the imperial era. Tourists rarely stray there, it is too dangerous to stay, especially at night. Wine is still grown throughout the valley today. Elie Rashed is training to be a winemaker there. "Wine is the light for Lebanon, in every crisis," he beams, checking the ripening process of the latest grape harvest. Hopeful voices and images from a country shaken by civil war.
ARD-alpha, 10.25 p.m.
Back then, Jean Pütz and Wolfgang Back showed how to make wine from all kinds of fruit. There are also experiments on fermentation, sugar, yeast and alcohol to see. In 1981, Uschi Dämmrich presented an episode from the series "Das Beste aus der Hobbythek": Wines to make yourself! The books, however, that Uschi Dämmrich mentions can no longer be sent. Today they would have to be bought antiquarian instead.
hr television, 4.00 p.m.
Even when the last work in the vineyard is done in December, the Rheingau is not in hibernation. That's when people celebrate and enjoy behind the walls of villas, monasteries and castles. In the candlelit ballroom of Vollrads Castle, film author Nina Thomas shows dishes from the Greiffenclau family's old menu cards. There she also experiences the ice wine harvest in the middle of a bone-chillingly cold night. In a sparkling wine cellar in Geisenheim, an entire menu is cooked with Rheingau sparkling wines. At Eberbach Monastery, there's something hearty in the tavern and lots of fine nibbles at the opening of the Rheingau Gourmet Festival. The festival also takes place at the Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim: Anton Mosimann, the chef of William and Kate's wedding menu, will be cooking a gala dinner there.
hr television, 4.15 p.m.
Alex Saltaren Castro has no money in his pocket when he arrives in the Rheingau from Colombia. But he has his dream firmly in mind: to produce his own Riesling one day. The path to his own wine is not easy, but giving up is not an option for him. He is supported by fellow winemakers, friends and his family.
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hr television, 8.15 p.m.
Bizarre rock formations of red sandstone and a centuries-old tree population characterise the landscape. The nutrient-poor soil contributes to the fact that oaks grow slowly and their wood is particularly hard and dense-pored. Forester Burkhard Steckel is responsible for the "Million Quarter", where Germany's most expensive oaks thrive. Many a trunk fetches more than 10,000 euros at the annual timber auction. The John family of winegrowers lets their wine mature in barrels made of Palatinate oak. Their wines benefit from the climate on the edge of the Palatinate Forest.
WDR Television, 1.05 p.m. (repeated)
Bizarre rock formations of red sandstone and a centuries-old tree population characterise the landscape. The nutrient-poor soil contributes to the fact that oaks grow slowly and their wood is particularly hard and dense-pored. Forester Burkhard Steckel is responsible for the "Million Quarter", where Germany's most expensive oaks thrive. Many a trunk fetches more than 10,000 euros at the annual timber auction. The John family of winegrowers lets their wine mature in barrels made of Palatinate oak. Their wines benefit from the climate on the edge of the Palatinate Forest.
3sat, 11.50 a.m.
Since time immemorial, the Rio Douro in northern Portugal has determined the way of life of the Portuguese. As a transport route, the "Golden River" brought much prosperity to the region in past centuries. Today, the valley through which the Douro meanders picturesquely is famous for its port wine - and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3sat, 9.45 pm
Wild and untamed, the Tagliamento, the "King of the Alpine Rivers", makes its way through the Carnic Alps across the Friulian lowlands to the Adriatic Sea. In the small village of Valeriano, on the terraces above the Tagliamento, the winegrower Emilio Bulfon cultivates old, autochthonous grape varieties.
hr television, 9.15 a.m.
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 behind the walls of villas, monasteries and castles. In the candlelit ballroom of Vollrads Castle, film author Nina Thomas shows dishes from the Greiffenclau family's old menu cards. There she also experiences the ice wine harvest in the middle of a bone-chillingly cold night. In a sparkling wine cellar in Geisenheim, an entire menu is cooked with Rheingau sparkling wines. In Eberbach Monastery, there are hearty dishes in the tavern and fine appetisers at the opening of the Rheingau Gourmet Festival. The festival also takes place at the Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim: Anton Mosimann, the chef of William and Kate's wedding menu, will be cooking a gala dinner there.
Swiss Television SRF 1, 3.55 p.m.
Ambitious winemaker Hannah Powell (Eva Habermann), who has lived in France for many years, is about to make a new start: she is to revamp the Benson Valley vineyard in her native southern England. However, she has to share the management with the sonnyboy Jonathan Benson (Robert Seeliger), the nephew of the owner Lady Kate (Ruth Maria Kubitschek), who wants to discipline her heir. Two different characters have to work together if they want to save the ailing estate. More and more they are drawn to each other. Hannah's past catches up with her: 17 years ago she had to flee Cornwall when she became pregnant at a very young age, unwanted by her boss at the time. She had given the child to Jessie Watson (Barbara Wussow), her boss's wife, who could not have children of her own. Now her 17-year-old daughter Tessa is unintentionally pregnant. The problems don't stop: Jonathan, a racing driver, has run up huge debts without his aunt's knowledge and promised his inheritance to Nick Stevens (Albert Fortell), the head of the local wine distribution company. When the latter sees his hides swim away, he puts Jonathan and Hannah under pressure. Suddenly a serious accident occurs.
hr television, 21.00
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 have to face new challenges. These include dealing with the clearly noticeable "climate change" as well as the search for modern forms of production and marketing. In addition, the Rheingau and its wine are now also a bit "multicultural" and globalised. The film observes how the wine develops right up to the pressing stage and accompanies the protagonists in their work.
3sat, 3.35 a.m.
Having emigrated from New Zealand to northern Germany, winemaker Stephen O'Connor and his wife Claudia are building the first and only "Cidery" in northern Schleswig-Holstein. For months they tinkered with the recipe of the sparkling cider and produced their own cider exclusively with local apple varieties, natural apples from the Probsteier neighbourhood. When it "rains" apples, Stephen is currently shaking the branches of old apple trees. From harvesting the apples to bottling the cider, every step is intricate manual labour. And Stephen touches each bottle seven times before it goes on sale. Stephen and Claudia also make an important contribution to the preservation of Schleswig-Holstein's apple culture: on Gut Wulfshagen they recultivated a plantation that had been abandoned for 30 years and brought old, almost forgotten northern German apple varieties back to life.
Bavarian Television, 8.15 p.m.
The "Närrische Weinprobe" (Foolish Wine Tasting) from the Staatlicher Hofkeller of the Residenz in Würzburg offers genuine Franconian originals. A production in cooperation with the Fastnacht-Verband Franken e. V. The "Närrische Weinprobe" presents itself in a fresh guise: new cellar, new stage, new wine and the best atmosphere. There will be swaying, celebrating and laughing - only in Würzburg under the Residenz. Martin Rassau from the Comödie Fürth will be in charge of the show. The "Närrische Weinprobe" offers a colourful mixture of wordplay, music and wine in the atmospheric ambience of the Hofkeller.
hr television, 8.15 p.m.
Mainz is still Mainz: The capital of Rhineland-Palatinate fascinates with its combination of old and new, carnival and cabaret, the cathedral and the synagogue, the old town with its wine taverns and the new town, the hip trendy district. SWR presenter Anna Lena Dörr is right in the middle of it all.
WDR Television, 9.00 p.m.
"Die Eifel lebt" shows the opportunities and challenges of the changes in the region, for example in nature conservation and tourism. The film discovers the new attractiveness of the region and dispels old clichés. In addition, it lets people have their say who, in their own way, tell Eifel success stories. For example, in winegrowing. The Eifel is famous for its red wine, which grows spectacularly on steep slopes.
3sat, 3 .00 p.m.
Garden specialist Karl Ploberger travels to the South African Cape Province. The country is especially known for its unique flora. Ploberger visits the famous botanical garden "Kirstenbosch", two wine estates, a social project, a vegetable and fruit plantation and the historical garden monument "Old Nectar". A varied foray through South African flora. But there is no getting around wine in South Africa. Some wineries also have magnificent, lushly flowering gardens. Ploberger pays a visit to the wineries "Vergelegen" and "Rustenberg". "The Old Nectar" is the name of a garden that has the distinction of being a "National Historic Landmark".
WDR Television, 8.15 p.m.
The coastline between France and Tuscany is the Italian Riviera. It is a longing destination for millions of holidaymakers from all over the world. But what is it that makes Liguria so magical? Thanks to countless dry stone walls built by hand, grapes for the Sciacchetrà grow on the steep slopes. The golden-yellow dessert wine is a speciality of the region.
3sat, 11.50 a.m.
In the Côte-d'Or department 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 make oak barrels. The Rousseaus run a family business in which Jean-Marie's wife Nicole is responsible for the bookkeeping. But when she has time, she is in the kitchen cooking regional dishes. The Rousseaus' cooperage in Couchey is on the edge of the long wine region on the road of the Grands Crus. On the flat eastern slopes, the Cistercian monks of nearby Cîteaux grew grapes centuries ago. Against the frosty winds of spring, the monks built stone walls around the best sites back then. This tradition still characterises the landscape in this part of Burgundy today. Below the vineyards, the dense oak forests of Cîteaux begin. Some of the wood that the Rousseaus need for their barrels comes from here. Pièce is the name for the 228-litre barrels here in Burgundy; over in Bordeaux they are called "barrique". 40 years ago, they were replaced by steel tanks and plastic vats. Later, the role of the barrique barrels was recalled. Since then, barrel making has been on the rise again.
arte, 4.00 p.m.
The food culture of a country is not only the Spiegel of its society: it also shapes the landscape, gives it its colours and structures over seasons and centuries. What are the historical causes of different eating habits in Germany and France? Flying over the two countries, the filmmakers want to find out whether there is a specifically German and a specifically French landscape. Is Germany really the land of rye and beer and France the land of wheat and wine?
3sat, 11.45 a.m.
For the winegrowers of the Wachau, winter is the quietest time of the year. Nikolaus Saahs and Anna Lun in Mautern now only pick the dried berries for their sweet wine.
ZDFinfo, 7.00 a.m.
The Journey into the Deep takes us into medieval tunnels beneath Exeter in England, a marble quarry in Vermont and into the huge wine cellars of the Moldovan town of Cricova. The narrow tunnels of Exeter are centuries old - and are still used today. In Vermont, the largest underground marble quarry in the world is in operation. And in the wine cellars of Cricova, more than a million bottles are stored over 120 kilometres. The journey ends in Cricova, Moldova. The underground wine cellars of the eponymous winery are one of the biggest attractions of the small republic. At the time of the Soviet Union, every second bottle came from there - and even today, wine is Moldova's biggest export. People have been using the space beneath our feet for thousands of years. "Secret Worlds" explores extraordinary places and reveals their stories hidden in the darkness.
3sat, 4.55 p.m.
300 days of sunshine a year, plus the clear air of the Alps and an altitude that lifts people a little closer to the firmament - that is South Tyrol. This flight takes you over peaks and alpine pastures, barren rock and streams to discover the most beautiful places in the region. Not to be missed are the picturesque city of Merano, Lake Kaltern and its surrounding wine route, and the earth pyramids of Oberbozen. After a text by Felicitas Freise, the voice of castle actor Peter Simonischek accompanies the tour and tells curious, interesting and poetic stories about this land that belonged to Austria until the end of the monarchy.
arte, 8.45 a.m.
In the stony, mountainous landscape of Crete, olive groves and vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. The villages of the Mediterranean island cultivate a millennia-old tradition: wine is drunk to wish each other a good day in the morning or to encourage each other. Whether in the Minoan civilisation, under the rule of the Republic of Venice or the Ottoman Empire: wine is the wealth of the Cretans and strengthens the spirit of resistance of the inhabitants to this day.
SWR Television, 5.15 p.m.
The countrywomen's journey takes them to Christine Bernhard's vineyard in the Palatinate. The eco-winemaker is at home in Zellertal and has dedicated herself entirely to her wines and the renovation of the over 250-year-old family estate. Her winter menu features Palatinate specialities on the festively laid table. Pickled green nuts accompanied by various pâtés in a puff pastry tartlet are the first course. This is followed by beef goulash from the calf with "Keschdegmies" and for dessert a "white sleigh" made of homemade ice cream - Christine Bernhard wants to score points with the five other countrywomen.
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3sat, 5.40 a.m.
Morocco, situated between the Atlas Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, is fascinating. Most tourists are drawn to the four royal cities of Rabat, Fez, Marrakech and Meknès, to the sea and the desert. But what is hidden behind the scenes of the kingdom? What are the secrets of success, what dreams do the people have? Natalie Steger and her team present the oriental "land of dreams". They report on wine growing in a Muslim country.
arte, 11.40 a.m.
The journey through time leads from historical conflicts and occupation during the Cold War to the founding of the Franco-German Brigade, from typical food and drink culture around bread, beer and wine to common challenges in environmental issues. The documentaries each focus on one aspect that connects or distinguishes the two neighbouring countries.
SWR Television, 2.20 p.m.
Between volcanoes and the Pacific Ocean, the museum railways in the Northwest of the USA are visited by the makers of "Eisenbahn-Romantik" in this episode. A short stop is made at a winery - Oregon is one of the most important wine-growing regions in the USA after California.
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hr television, 20.15
Hardly any other group of Greek islands attracts holidaymakers as magically as the Cyclades. The blue-white paradise is one of the most beautiful places in Europe. Author Natascha Rhein has travelled to four Cyclades islands and presents an "island hopping" tour to follow. We're going to Santorini - the world's largest balcony of vanities, the Instagram stronghold par excellence, photographed millions of times. Romantics feel like they're in paradise here, and the selfie society patiently queues up for the best hot spots. Wine lovers also get their money's worth here: the island is Greece's oldest wine-growing region.
3sat, 9.35 a.m.
South Tyrolean farmers, once simple folk, serve up lavish fare at their regional festivals and enjoy their traditional dishes. The provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino form a coherent region with about 12,800 ha of vineyards. South Tyrolean wine flows at all the festivals: Vernatsch, Lagrein or Terlaner.
3sat, 12.50 p.m.
The French call her "séductrice" - "seductress". Because no one should be able to resist her charm for long. We are talking about Aix-en-Provence in the south-east of France. The famous Maison Saint Aix wine estate is close by. The historic capital of Provence attracts visitors with its Mediterranean climate, picture-book Provençal landscape and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. Traces of history can be seen around every corner: on the famous Cours Mirabeau with its cafés, fountains, plane trees and magnificent city palaces, or in the countless winding alleys of the city centre. In addition to classic sights, Aix also offers a lot of modern things.
3sat, 12.50 p.m.
In his gardening trip to La Réunion, Karl Ploberger focuses on the climatic conditions on the volcanic and rainy tropical island. He explores the impressive natural landscapes such as the lava craters and coasts. In the mountain village of Cilaos, the best French winemaking tradition is cultivated: In the southernmost wine-growing region of France, Nono Dijoux produces Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc. On his botanical voyage of discovery, Karl Ploberger also visits private gardens, including one full of (medicinal) herbs.