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Saturday, 1 December

arte, 11.30 a.m.

Home Swiss Home - From Lake to Lake

On the north-eastern shore of Lake Geneva lie the terraced vineyards of Lavaux. The Vincent Chollet family of winegrowers has been making wine here for five generations. And sommelier Jérôme Aké, who comes from the Ivory Coast, has become one of Switzerland's leading wine experts over the years. The programme is also available online from 01/12 to 08/12 on the ARTE internet portal.

Saturday, 1 December

hr-television, 12.10 p.m.

Der Winzerkönig (23) 39-part television series, Germany/Austria, 2006 - 2010 The Diagnosis

Sunday, 2 December

hr-fernsehen, 3.00 p.m.

Istria's South - Holiday Paradise on the Croatian Adriatic Sea

Istria - this part of Croatia is not only popular with summer holidaymakers but also with gourmet lovers. The peninsula with its rocky coasts in the west, lively bathing bays in the east and a hinterland that could hardly be more fertile is one of the country's top gourmet regions for good reason: the finest truffles, the best olive oil and renowned wines without end - what grows here meets the highest standards.

Monday, 3 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (30) TV series, Germany 2010 Future plans

Monday, 3 December

3sat, 9.55 pm

Collio - Italy's hills of delights

Collio, a fertile wine-growing region in the far northeast of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, captivates with its hilly landscape, charming villages and culinary specialities. A special microclimate and its long cultural history characterise the border region between Austria, Italy and Slovenia. The wine there is first-class, the vinegar spicy and prosciutto. The mutual cultural influences are also noticeable in the cuisine. For many centuries, the area belonged to the Habsburg Empire. At the court in Vienna, the Collio was also called "the fruit chamber of the monarchy". The juicy cherries and the fruity, fresh white wine were particularly popular in the ruling houses. To this day, the Collio is synonymous with great white wines. The Felluga family and some other winegrowers were the first to start quality winegrowing in the Collio. Today, many of the best and most recognised white wine producers in the world can be found in this area. The Collio hill country, manageable in its extent, offers a tremendous concentration of first-class wineries and noble winegrowers. The wine-growing area is not only rich in special sites and vines, it is also home to the largest number of autochthonous wines in the whole of Italy. Picolit is considered the most precious drop among them, and the grappa made from it is also a taste experience in itself. The Domenis distillery near Cividale was one of the first to market grappa made from the Picolit grape variety, elevating the marc brandy, which used to be discredited as a poor man's schnapps, to a recognised spirit of the highest quality. Joško Sirk and his son Mitja ferment the wine into vinegar in barrique barrels. It has to be stored there for at least three years to mature into what is perhaps the best vinegar in Italy. Andrea D'Osvaldo, on the other hand, has devoted himself to prosciutto. A special smoking process and the perfect climate result in the incomparable taste that is not called the "Stradivarius of ham" for nothing.

Winemaker Roberto Felluga

ZDF and ORF/GS-Film

Tuesday, 4 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (31) TV series, Germany 2010 The Crisis

Tuesday, 4 December

N24 DOKU, 8.55 a.m.

World of Wonders
Mulled wine test: Can a sommelier tell cheap from expensive?

At Christmas time, Germans buy 75 million bottles of ready-made mulled wine within a few weeks. Does expensive also mean better? "Welt der Wunder" does the test and gives tips on how to pimp the taste of the mulled wine you buy.

Wednesday, 5 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (32) TV series, Germany 2010 End and beginning

Wednesday, 5 December

NDR Television, 9.00 p.m.

Home cooking - on the vineyard

In the penultimate episode of "Heimatküche" the candidates make their way through the small village of Malente in Schleswig-Holstein. There, Melanie Engel eagerly awaits her guests and can hardly wait to show Sonja, Bernd & Co. her Ingenhof. The family-run farm is located in the heart of Holstein Switzerland, surrounded by beautiful forests and sparkling lakes. The Baltic Sea is also just a Katzensprung away. In this beautiful natural setting, Melanie and her family have built up a very colourful and diverse farm over the years. The special thing: The Engels grow wine and that in Schleswig-Holstein! Nine years ago, Melanie and her family had exactly the right nose. Their wine is now a bestseller all over Germany. But before the candidates are allowed to taste the noble drops, the home cooks first go to the vineyards to harvest grapes and to tread water à la Kneipp. Melanie took over the business from her parents in 2011. Since then, she has enjoyed developing the farm and bringing the many ideas to life. The 40-year-old loves welcoming guests to her farm and guiding groups around the vineyard as well as the farm. Perfect hosting conditions for the Heimatküchen dinner!? Melanie first has to prove that with her menu "Kneipp refreshed & wine blissful". She attaches great importance to the use of seasonal fruits and farm-fresh products in the preparation. That is why she would like to surprise her guests with an autumn menu, adapted to the season.

Melanie Engel and her husband Karsten at the grape harvest

NDR/Doclights

Thursday, 6 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (33) Television series, Germany 2010 Vanishing Points

Thursday, 6 December

Bavarian Television, 10.25 a.m.

Wild Germany: The Palatinate Forest

The Palatinate Forest is the largest contiguous forest area in Germany. The particularly mild climate is home to many Mediterranean animal and plant species. The flora and fauna of the extensive forests and vineyards are presented. The wine route running along the eastern edge of the Palatinate Forest invites visitors to linger with its romantic wine villages. As early as 2,000 years ago, Roman troops brought culinary delicacies from the Mediterranean region to Rhineland-Palatinate in their luggage: grapes, the Mediterranean snail and chestnuts are still considered delicacies today.

Friday, 7 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (34) TV series Germany 2010 Where to and back again

Friday, 7 December

ANIXE, 9.00 p.m.

On the road
Cyprus with Falk Willy Wild

During his trip, Falk-Willy Wild can see for himself that the Cypriot wines are of outstanding quality. No wonder, because wine has been cultivated in Cyprus for thousands of years. An art that is also cultivated in the island's monasteries. The mountainous countryside with its idyllic little villages and ancient ruins on the coasts quickly make it clear that Cyprus is a destination for connoisseurs.

Saturday, 8 December

hr-television, 12.20 p.m.

Der Winzerkönig (24) 39-part television series, Germany/Austria 2006 - 2010 The Visit

Saturday, 8 December

3sat, 3 .50 p.m.

Longing for Italy
On the road in Tuscany

Tuscany is a landscape to dream of: gently rolling hills, vines close together, in between the typical parades of dark green cypresses.

Monday, 10 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (35) TV series, Germany 2010 The Candidate

Tuesday, 11 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (36) TV series, Germany 2010 On a collision course

Wednesday, 12 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (37) TV series, Germany 2010 Spoilt for choice

Thursday, 13 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (38) Television series, Germany 2010 New Ways

Friday, 14 December

MDR Television, 8.55 a.m.

Der Winzerkönig (39) Television series, Germany 2010 Stay and go

A horseback riding trip together solidifies the fledgling relationship between winemaker Thomas Stickler and biologist Karin Schwarz. Karin is also welcomed with open arms by Hedwig and Gottfried. At the same time, with the help of his grandfather Blasius, Paul is able to successfully complete the first grape harvest as an independent vintner. And his girlfriend Kerstin, with the support of trainee Ines and the whole family, manages a harmonious reopening of the inn.

Friday, 14 December

3sat, 2.05 p.m.

San Francisco from above

Even before the sun rises, in the north, in one of the Bay Area's oldest industrial regions, workers are already toiling in the gently rolling vineyards of Napa Valley. The winemakers there are among the largest and most famous producers of American wine.

Saturday, 15 December

hr-television, 12.20 p.m.

Der Winzerkönig (25) 39-part television series, Germany/Austria 2006 - 2010 The Setback

Saturday, 15 December

Das Erste (ARD), 2.30 p.m.

The Vintners' War Feature film, Germany/Austria 2011

Since the death of her husband, winemaker Franziska Habicht has been taking care of the continuity of her traditional family winery on her own. Thanks to her commitment, business is going well. This is not the case with her neighbour, the big winemaker Josef Fink, who produces cheap wines and has to increase his acreage to get his money's worth. He would love to buy Franziska's vineyard - without success. Until fate hands him an ancient contract that shows that the Habichts' vineyard passed into the Finks' possession back in 1602. Of course, Franziska leaves no stone unturned to contest the document. Her son David, who is in love with Josef's daughter Marie, of all people, also sets out to get to the bottom of the mysterious document. In the process, the young couple uncover an astonishing family secret.

A glass in honour...: Winemaker Franziska Habicht (Uschi Glas) and winemaker Josef Fink (August Schmölzer) taste the competition's 'stuff'.

ARD Degeto/Toni Muhr

Saturday, 15 December

SWR Television, 5.00 p.m.

Traben-Trarbach, I want to go there!

Simin Sadeghi visits the twin town on the Moselle in autumn and Advent. Traben-Trarbach is famous for its Art Nouveau buildings, but why are there so many of them here of all places? At the beginning of the 20th century, the wine trade made the town rich. Simin meets old-established Traben and Trarbach residents who revive the glorious past with their stories and old photos. The "underworld", a still preserved, widely ramified labyrinth of cellars where the wine barrels were stored, is a reminder of those times. Even today, lots of wine is still grown in and around Traben-Trarbach. Simin is present at the grape harvest and wants to find out why Riesling dominates. During Advent, Traben-Trarbach's underworld is transformed into one of the most beautiful and certainly the most unusual Christmas market in the southwest: the Moselle Wine Night Market.

Sunday, 16 December

hr-television, 7.00 p.m.

Glorious Hesse
On the road in and around Geisenheim
The Rheinsteig, fine wine and a trim trail for the soul

Picturesque alleys, a 700-year-old lime tree, vineyards, a world-famous university, a cathedral that is not a cathedral, and pure idyll - that is Geisenheim, in the middle of the Rheingau. Especially in the golden autumn, this area is a true dream - golden yellow, reddish coloured leaves, in between the vintners at harvest. But Geisenheim has even more to offer - in Marienthal or Johannisberg. The topics of the programme: With Stefan Eiser from Johannisberg Castle, Dieter Voss descends into the cellar at the world's oldest Riesling winery - into the castle's wine cellar, where wines from the 18th century are stored in the "Bibliotheca subterranea". How does corked wine taste? And why is the glass from which wine is drunk so important? That's exactly what Dieter Voss will find out, with Günter Ringsdorf, a wine sensory expert and Rheingau veteran. "Wine is a living being" is his motto, and he reveals how he means it.

Sunday, 16 December

ZDFinfo, 9.00 p.m.

ZDFzeit
Where is the best place to live?

The longest life, the best air, the lowest rents or the highest income - which places in Germany are top and which are flop? A new study provides surprising answers. Winegrower Hildegard Stigler leads the kind of life that many people imagine. She regularly stands in her vineyards, prunes the vines and enjoys the landscape. Afterwards, she sits with the whole family at "Vesper", the evening meal. With a glass of wine from her own vineyard, of course. "It's a cosy life here," she says, "it lets us grow old. We don't have any stress." In fact, women in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald region have the highest life expectancy in Germany.

Tuesday, 18 December

3sat, 10.15 a.m.

ÄTNA - Hell's Mouth in the Mediterranean Sea

Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes on earth. With an enormous height of over 3300 metres, it dominates Sicily. Winemaker Chiara Vigo remembers how, as a child, she had to witness an eruption in the north near Randazzo that destroyed almost all of her family's vineyards: a catastrophe, because even today one cannot insure oneself against it on Etna. She will never forget that the lava flow left a remnant of their belongings and "miraculously" suddenly changed direction, as Chiara recounts in the film. Together with her husband Gianluca, she now grows the "Nerello Mascalese" here, the typical red grape variety of the few, about 130 winegrowers on Etna. She appreciates 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 make up Sicilian cuisine.

Wednesday, 19 December

SWR Television, 8.15 p.m.

Delicious in the Country - Christmas Baking

Six countrywomen from the SWR series "Lecker aufs Land - eine kulinarische Reise" (Delicious in the Country - a Culinary Journey) meet for Advent baking at the estate of winner Beate Vollmayer.

Saturday, 22 December

hr-television, 12.25 p.m.

Der Winzerkönig (26) 39-part television series, Germany/Austria 2006 - 2010 The offer

Saturday, 22 December

ANIXE, 13.00hrs.

On the road: Kaltern

Kaltern on the lake in South Tyrol. In this region, everything revolves around wine, the No. 1 export. Along the South Tyrolean Wine Road, numerous wineries await you, where you can learn all about the different grape varieties and growing areas. And as everywhere, you are invited to taste the wines, in the midst of cosy Alpine romance or at the Kalterer Wine Festival, which takes place every year at the beginning of September.

Saturday, 22 December

hr-television, 4.00 p.m.

Cocktails, sparkling wine and finger food
From the series "Hessen à la carte

Finger food is particularly suitable for New Year's Eve celebrations. You can eat it quickly standing up, you don't need so much crockery and it is easy to prepare. The chefs at the Sheraton Hotel at the airport have a lot of experience with it and show you which variations there are and how to prepare them. There is walnut bread with stuffed veal slices and aromatic oil, for example, or crêpes roulades with apple cider sauerkraut and smoked pork, and sweet sushi to finish. In the cocktail course, the bartender shows which ingredients and equipment are needed for good cocktails. He explains five very different cocktails for you to try out. The people in the course have a lot of fun. There is a very modern cocktail that you can pour with sparkling wine or champagne. And the champagne tasting is also about the noble drink that goes so well with big parties. Everything from discount bubbly to big brand-name champagnes to bottles costing over a hundred euros will be tasted and discussed.

Monday, 24 December

NDR Television, 6.05 p.m.
SWR Television, 22.30
WDR Television, 23.15 hrs

Loriot
Christmas at Hoppenstedt's

Loriot's Christmas classic in the edited version from 1997 includes visits from the Heinzelmann hoover salesman (Rudolf Kowalski) and wine salesman Blümel (Loriot) from the Pahlgruber and Sons company: "What do you feel on your tongue? That furry feeling? Wrong! The Oberföhringer Vogelspinne is flowery and surprises with its fruity freshness!". Then, finally, all the lights are on, including those on the Advent wreath.

Agent visit - Normally, agents are dispatched by German housewives right at the front door. But in the run-up to Christmas, it can happen that an impartial housewife softens the sad lot of sales representatives with a snack and a drink. Mrs Hoppenstedt, at any rate, feels at ease in the circle of three gentlemen from the hoover, wine and insurance industries. (from left to right: Rudolf Kowalski, Loriot, Kurt Ackermann, Evelyn Hamann)

NDR/Radio Bremen

Tuesday, 25 December

SWR Television, 7.40 a.m.

Heaven on Earth
The Maulbronn Monastery Church

The Maulbronn Monastery Church is more than 800 years old, but has lost none of its radiance. The Romanesque-Gothic masterpiece is the focal point of Maulbronn Monastery, which as a Unesco World Heritage Site preserves the tradition of the Cistercians to this day, even though the monks left the monastery centuries ago. Winemaker Frank Jaggy pays his respects to the Cistercians who used to live and work here. He admires the amazingly ingenious way the monks laid out the stone terraces for growing grapes many hundreds of years ago. Large, modern machines can hardly get through here. This construction method means hard physical work for the winegrower, but he is working in the tradition of the monks, who knew how to use the position of the sun to the best advantage for their fair and monastic wine.

Tuesday, 25 December

ARD-alpha, 1.30 p.m.

Wine Miracle Germany
Stuart Pigott's voyages of discovery

What actually is "a good wine", what does it go with and how much may - or must - it cost? Stuart Pigott, the most important wine journalist in Germany, explores these and many other questions in an entertaining journey through Germany. After the Germans became a nation of cooks in the last decade, there is a new trend that builds on this passion for the home cooker: "the wine". Suddenly everyone is talking about grape varieties, growing regions and star winemakers. But what actually is "a good wine"? How and where is it produced? Which wine goes with which food - local ingredients with a grape juice from South Africa, for example? And above all: what may or must a wine cost? One person who has answers for us: Stuart Pigott. The British-born wine expert has been travelling the wine world for more than three decades, especially in Germany's 13 wine-growing regions. In this country, Pigott is considered by many to be the most important wine journalist and "the" key witness of the "German wine miracle" since the turn of the millennium. ARD travelled with him across Germany, from the Moselle terraces to Weinfranken, from noble top wineries to small garage winegrowers - always in search of good drops, at the best price-performance ratio. Because Pigott says: "good wine doesn't have to be expensive at all, and in Germany in particular, the highest quality is now also available at a low price". After this entertaining tour of Germany with Stuart Pigott, no amateur chef will ruin his menu with the wrong wine accompaniment.

Tuesday, 25 December

SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.

Inns with Tradition (1/2)
Hosts, guests and stories

An unusual tour of historic inns in the southwest, each with its own special history.

Wednesday, 26 December

SWR Television, 7.20 a.m.

Heaven on Earth
Ingelheim Castle Church

Integrated into the medieval town fortifications, it has also been the heart and landmark of Ober-Ingelheim for 900 years. This is where celebrations take place, the Ingelheim Red Wine Festival or the Christmas market. Actually, it lies on the outskirts of the town, between the Ingelheim alleys on one side and the vineyards on the other. And yet the castle church is still the centre of Ober-Ingelheim.

Wednesday, 26 December

arte, 10.00 a.m.

America's East Coast: Big Apple and Sea Available online from 26/12 to 02/01

Delaware is known as a tax haven, but its coast also grows excellent wines. Peggy Raley started with just a few vines and had yet to see viticulture legalised in the Puritan state. Today, her farm is known throughout the East Coast.

Wednesday, 26 December

WORLD, 9.15 a.m.

From Grape to Wine - German Winegrowers and Wineries

Fine champagne from France, full-bodied red wine from Italy or strong Rioja from Spain. But German quality wines are nowhere to be found? Not at all! Nowadays, top drops of the finest grapes also come from German wineries and sparkling wine cellars that have won awards all over the world. The report meets top winemakers in their breathtaking vineyards, presents an East German sparkling wine success story and shows who is way ahead in this country when it comes to soils, vines and grapes.

Wednesday, 26 December

hr-television, 6.00 p.m.

On the Hessian Main and Rhine

Half-timbered houses and big cities, natural and cultural landscapes: you can find it all on the Hessian river kilometres along the Main and Rhine. Seligenstadt with its charming old town, Hanau with its imposing castle, Offenbach with its long leather tradition, the Main metropolis Frankfurt with its high-rise buildings, Hochheim amid vineyards and finally the place where the Main - opposite Mainz - flows into the Rhine. Along the Rhine in the south of Hesse, nature reserves spread out, making the heart of every nature lover beat faster. The tour then passes Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse, through the wine-rich Rheingau region with its venerable St. Hildegard Monastery, the tourist magnet of Rüdesheim and on to the state border at Lorchhausen - an adventure tour for all the senses.

Wednesday, 26 December

SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.

Inns with Tradition (2/2)
Hosts, guests and stories

The second episode of the best traditional inns in the southwest begins in the Palatinate wine and beer tavern "Zum Alten Spital" in Deidesheim. The small pub is a story in itself: the mayor has his own key to the inn and owner Vinzenz Trösch, over 70, is probably one of the last originals of Deidesheim: as an innkeeper, hunter and vintner, he "runs" the place with his sister, brother and brother-in-law. Vinzenz strives to preserve the wine tavern culture - with typical Palatinate dishes, from roast wild boar to Palatinate Fläschknepp and organic wine from their own vineyard. In the inner courtyard there is a saying for eternity carved in sandstone: He who drinks sins, he who drinks prays!" Vinzenz passionately tells the story of how it was when the Kalashnikovs were on his bar: Gorbachev was in Deidesheim. There was security level 1. But Vinzenz had unceremoniously brought the bodyguards from the street into his wine bar "... because nobody cared about them" - they accepted the invitation... The story is a good opportunity to revive the Saumagen diplomacy of the Palatine and Chancellor Helmut Kohl: With a look at the famous "Deidesheimer Hof" next door, how it looks today and what personal memories owner Artur Hahn has of the legendary state visits. Especially the state visit with Gorbachev one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The two traditional inns offer a worthwhile programme of contrasts.

Small but nice and a lovable piece of Mainz: the wine tavern "Hottum" in Mainz's old town. Where the old regulars' table culture is still alive, where strangers can become friends.

SWR/Gisbert Baltes

Thursday, 27 December

hr-television, 8.25 a.m.

Rhine Valley for Gourmets
From the series "Hessen à la carte

After the grape harvest, the Rheingau is a little quieter. A nice opportunity to hike in the colourful vineyards and have a good meal afterwards.

Thursday, 27 December

hr-television, 10.25 a.m.

Cocktails, sparkling wine and finger food
From the series "Hessen à la carte

Finger food is particularly suitable for New Year's Eve celebrations. You can eat it quickly standing up, you don't need so much crockery and it is easy to prepare. The chefs at the Sheraton Hotel at the airport have a lot of experience with it and show you which variations there are and how to prepare them. There is walnut bread with stuffed veal slices and aromatic oil, for example, or crêpes roulades with apple cider sauerkraut and smoked pork, and sweet sushi to finish. In the cocktail course, the bartender shows which ingredients and equipment are needed for good cocktails. He explains five very different cocktails for you to try out. The people in the course have a lot of fun. There is a very modern cocktail that you can pour with sparkling wine or champagne. And the champagne tasting is also about the noble drink that goes so well with big parties. Everything from discount bubbly to big brand-name champagnes to bottles costing over a hundred euros will be tasted and discussed.

Thursday, 27 December

Phoenix, 2.00 p.m.

The Moselle
From the source to Metz

It flows through the green heart of Europe - the Moselle. It originates in the Vosges mountains as a small mountain stream, grows steadily larger on its way to the Lorraine valley and meanders in loops through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Central Europe. The first stage of this impressive journey begins in the Vosges, in the picturesque village of Bussang, where an open-air theatre attracts countless summer visitors every year. The journey continues via Épinal to the colourful Balloon World Cup in Chambley. The journey ends in Metz, where a nocturnal walk by lights invites you to discover architectural masterpieces.

Thursday, 27 December

SWR Television, 2.30 p.m.

Railway Romanticism in Austria
The Reblaus Express and other railway delicacies

Through the vineyards of Retz, the Reblaus Express winds its way uphill through one of Austria's most beautiful wine-growing regions. It travels leisurely from the Weinviertel to the Waldviertel. The train takes about one and a half hours to cover the almost 40 kilometres to the Waldviertel town of Drosendorf. An old line, actually long since disused, in a sparsely populated area. Vines, fields and forests alternate, a paradise for cyclists. The train runs at weekends in summer, members of an active association look after the passengers. They are extremely happy to run the Reblaus Express.
In the past, mainly wood and grain were transported here, but in the meantime they are even thinking about resuming freight traffic. At least on weekends, the idyllic railway is experiencing a renaissance. Around 80 kilometres from the Reblaus Express' route in Gmünd, the Waldviertel narrow-gauge railway is still in operation. Regular operation ended in 2001, but trains run for tourists in summer. The steam trains attract guests. Here, too, the saying goes: those who are dead live longer. "Eisenbahn-Romantik" let itself be rocked in historic carriages by "Wein in den Wald". A film by Harald Kirchner

Thursday, 27 December

Phoenix, 2.45 p.m.

The Moselle
Three countries, one river

In the second stage, the Moselle shows its pleasurable and exotic side. On the Luxembourg Moselle, a visit to a vineyard is on the agenda. Favoured by the exceptionally mild climate, Moselle Rieslings are now considered by connoisseurs to be among the best wines in the world. In the Mediterranean garden in Schwebsingen, banana trees grow alongside Luxembourg roses. Afterwards, cheese lovers will find their happiness in Berdorf, the heart of Luxembourg's Little Switzerland.

Thursday, 27 December

Phoenix, 3.30 p.m.

The Moselle
From Trier to Koblenz

The Moselle, which is less straightened than any other German river, meanders through classic landscapes of longing in the third part of the series. From Trier it goes to the former Art Nouveau mecca of Traben-Trarbach and from there to the best young vintners in their field. The end of the tour offers the typical romanticism of the Moselle castles: Eltz Castle is considered one of the most beautiful hilltop castles of the Middle Ages.

Friday, 28 December

3sat, 10.40 a.m.

The Aeolian Islands

On Salina lives the passionate winemaker Nino Caravaglio, who produces Malvasia wine. "This vine has determined the destiny of our islands," says Caravaglio, "it made Salina so prosperous that in the 19th century we had a fleet of around 100 merchant ships. When phylloxera came at the end of the 19th century and completely destroyed the vineyards, it triggered a mass exodus. People had to emigrate, otherwise they would have starved to death. Only when means were found to control the aphid did second or third generation emigrants return and replant the destroyed areas."

Friday, 28 December

Bavarian Television, 3.30 p.m.

Stofferl Wells Bavaria
Strawanzen in Mainfranken

The "Mee", as the Lower Franconians call the Main, is Stofferl Wells' destination this time. His journey begins in Schweinfurt and takes him down the Main via Volkach and Ochsenfurt to Würzburg. In addition to music, wine is of course a must in this region. Down the Main, Stofferl Well explores the region in culinary terms. In the Würzburg Residenz, he will see the world-famous ceiling fresco by Tiepolo and receive an exclusive guided tour of the centuries-old wine cellar of the Juliusspital.

Friday, 28 December

Das Erste (ARD), 7.45 p.m.

Knowledge before eight - Workshop

Why do wine and sparkling wine bottles have a curved bottom? Most wine and sparkling wine bottles have a curved bottom. This is not only for aesthetic reasons, as Vince Ebert shows in exciting experiments.

Vince Ebert

ARD/Thomas Kost

Saturday, 29 December

hr-television, 7.30 p.m.

Der Winzerkönig (27) 39-part television series, Germany/Austria 2006 - 2010 New destinations

Thomas Stickler returns to his hometown of Rust and to his vineyard after his one-year stay in Bulgaria, where he set up a new production site for a German company. In his absence, his son Paul had run it independently and excellently. But right at the first reunion there is a confrontation between father and son, because Thomas has made a big deal from Bulgaria concerning a wine delivery without informing his son. The dispute ends with Paul handing his father the notice and Thomas is overwhelmed right from the start. At the same time, the former mayor and winegrower Georg Plattner arms himself against his returned arch-enemy. An important wine award is coming up, and Georg knows that his wines have no chance against those of Thomas Stickler. So he develops a wicked plan, which also works out for the time being... The 28th part will follow on 5 January.

Sunday, 30 December

SWR Television, 4.30 p.m.

Northern Alsace - rediscovered

Alsace is primarily rural, with an atmosphere where 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 team visits a German-French winegrowers who produce organic wine and crémant; they say that Alsatian crémant rosé is on the rise.

Sunday, 30 December

Bavarian Television, 4.45 p.m.

Country inns
Villas in the Veneto

In this episode of the series "Country Inns", magnificent and elegant villas of the Veneto with their unique Renaissance architecture are shown. After visiting wine festivals such as the "Festa dell' Uva" in Soave, the polenta festival "Festa della semina del mais" in the "Villa Caldogno" and the cheese festival in the "Villa Emo" in Fanzolo, the team of "Country Inns" stops at a wine estate in the hills of Bassano. In a romantic ambience, Mirco Gottardi serves his guests a delicious fillet steak on slices of polenta. Almost 500 years ago, Palladio built the "Villa Angarano" vineyard near Bassano. And because Palladio was not only considered a grand architect but also a proven gourmet, the Veneto's restaurateurs invited guests to the "Villa Angarano" in his honour for the "Palladinian Banquet" - a special treat for the palate.

Sunday, 30 December

SWR Television (RP), 6.45 p.m.

Known in the country
Inns in the countryside

They were the big meeting place, especially for the male village community: the inns in the countryside. In the past, many innkeepers still ran winegrowing or farming as a sideline.

Monday, 31 December

arte, 5.05 p.m.

Champagne
What makes it so special

Champagne is still considered an absolute luxury drink today. Kings and nobility made the sparkling wine famous in the 18th century. Yet monks discovered bubbles in wine rather by chance. Fermentation in the wine barrels had stopped in winter, the second fermentation in spring brought carbonic acid and thus also the bubbles into the wine: the beginning of a success story. In Champagne, the "Xenius" presenters Dörthe Eickelberg and Pierre Girard help with the grape harvest. They learn how the winegrowers determine the perfect time for the harvest. The grapes have to be handled as gently as possible, which is why the grapes are only harvested by hand in Champagne. To give the wine its perfect little bubbles, it is shaken for three weeks after the yeast has fermented into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Only then does the remaining yeast settle on the neck of the bottle and can be removed. Pierre and Dörthe are allowed to try out this shaking method themselves, according to an old tradition. Not only harvesting and production, but also opening and serving the champagne are a science in themselves. "Xenius" shows in which glass the aromas develop optimally and why it is better not to pop the cork. Scientists are also looking into the future of champagne. Climate change is changing the conditions for cultivation. What happens to the grapes when heat waves and dry periods increase? Will there still be Champagne from Champagne in the future?

Monday, 31 December

arte, 5.35 p.m.

360° Geo Reportage
Crémant, the fine Alsatian for the festive season First broadcast - Available online from 31/12 to 30/01

Crémant is on the rise. Like fine champagne, this sparkling wine is made using the "champagne method". The traditional bottle fermentation produces some spectacular drops and, as "Crémant brut", they are certainly comparable to a real champagne. Alsatian Crémant is particularly popular because the region near the Rhine on the border with Germany has particularly diverse and fertile soils. "360° Geo Reportage" traces the noble Crémant in various Alsatian wine-growing regions. France is the land of wines. For centuries, winegrowing here has produced noble grapes, noble drops and - in the case of champagne - noble bubbles. But champagne has had serious competition for some time: French crémant. Almost 80 million bottles of it are produced every year. Alsace in particular is producing ever better sparkling wines. As long as noble grape varieties are used, many crémants from Alsace can compete with champagnes in terms of taste. High-quality cultivation and processing methods as well as the noble soils of Alsace produce many a top crémant. One of the best sommeliers in the world - Serge Dubs - knows this. The master of his trade has been assessing wines, champagnes and crémants for decades. He knows the methods and peculiarities of the winegrowers like no other. Already during the growth phase, long before the duck, the future wine qualities can be fathomed. Depending on the grape variety used, crémant in Alsace is usually white, rarely also offered as rosé. Crémant from Alsace is gaining more and more enthusiasts, even if the great price advantage is history. In the meantime, the price for a bottle of Alsatian Crémant quickly reaches 20 to 30 euros. If the grapes for the Crémant came from Champagne instead of Alsace, and if the pressure on the bottles was 6 bar instead of the usual 3.5 bar, then you would have a real champagne in front of you. The winegrowers and gourmets in Alsace know why they defend their high-quality crémant and look forward to the latest vintage every time.

Monday, 31 December

hr-television, 6.40 p.m.

Dinner for one in Hessian
With Margit Sponheimer and Walter Flamme As narrator:Frank Lehmann

"Same as last time, Miss Sophie?" servant Johann will ask, and Miss Sophie will answer as usual: "Same as every year, Johann!" - but this time "in Hessian". Hessischer Rundfunk has re-produced the cult sketch - close to the original and yet full of surprises. At the freshly laid birthday table in the Volkstheater Frankfurt - Liesel Christ, two audience favourites, Margit Sponheimer as Fräulein Sophie and Walter Flamme in the role of the servant Johann, enjoy themselves. Director Wolfgang Kaus has translated the jubilee celebration into Hessian. So we can look forward to seeing what delicacies Servant Johann will serve to Councillor Pommeroi, Councillor Winterhalter and Miss Sophie's other guests. We can only reveal this much: "Taunus trout" will be served and a "sweet wine to go with the trout", a very dry one, "straight from the cellar!

The programme may be changed at short notice.

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