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Wednesday, 1 May

ANIXE, 13.00

Relic Wine Hunters (Episode 1)

We accompany a winemaker from Sicily to the wild Nebrodi Mountains. There he meets with a farmer from the region whose historic vineyard has been spared from the phylloxera plague. For this reason, he still has indigenous grape varieties that were on the verge of extinction. It will be shown how they were found and saved, how their DNA was analysed and how they are now being preserved and re-bred. The region of Sicily is at the forefront when it comes to the conservation and production of old wine varieties. To this end, it is developing innovative and experimental plant leys and colonies.

Thursday, 2 May

ANIXE, 4.30 pm

On the road: Tauber Valley

The region, once the largest wine-growing area in Germany, offers a variety of surprises for gourmets and explorers. First-class regional cuisine is accompanied by wines from the region and exquisitely brewed beer.

Friday, 3 May

hr-television, 5.00 a.m.

Enjoying on the Rhine

The gourmet tour first takes you to the Rhine: to the largest Rhine island, the Mariannenaue. Wine has been grown here for hundreds of years - a light, sparkling Chardonnay. The wild boars also appreciate the taste of the grapes - and that's why many of them go into the sausage. During a romantic picnic on the island, winemaker Stefan Lergenmüller tastes sausage and wine with his friends. Afterwards, there is an exclusive tour of the huge cellars of Reinhardshausen Castle. The tour continues to Rüdesheim. After the grape harvest, the Rheingau has quietened down a bit. A nice opportunity to walk in the colourful vineyards and have a good meal afterwards.

Friday, 3 May

WDR Television, 10.00 p.m.

Cologne Meeting

Guests at Kölner Treff include actress Lisa Maria Potthoff, actress Mimi Fiedler and winemakers Fritz & Franz Keller. Bettina Böttinger has been inviting prominent and less prominent guests to the Kölner Treff since 2006. Since then, almost 500 panel discussions have taken place, with numerous funny, entertaining, exciting and sometimes very moving conversations.

Saturday, 4 May

SR Television, 6.15 p.m.

Land & Delicious
The winemaker from the Palatinate

It is a cooking competition of six countrywomen, combined with the presentation of the special features of their farms, their daily work and family life. They prepare a three-course menu with regional products. This time they are guests of organic winemaker Kathrin Otte from the Mehling winery in Deidesheim in the Palatinate, with the menu: Kathrin's grape cocktail, beef tartare in La Lot leaves with Palatine Asian glass noodle salad and sour and spicy dipping sauce, and baked Palatine figs on gratinated fresh goat cheese with caramelised walnuts.

Saturday, 4 May

hr-television, 5.45 p.m.

Glorious Hesse
On the road in and around Geisenheim

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". It is a real insider tip: the Marienthal monastery. From the street it looks rather inconspicuous. You can see the Franciscan residence and the small church. But behind it is a true paradise. A large place of pilgrimage with an altar and a trim path of the soul. Dieter Voss explains what this path is all about on a walk through the grounds with Father Bernold. 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.

Saturday, 4 May

SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.

Land & Delicious
The winemaker from the Palatinate

It is a cooking competition of six countrywomen, combined with the presentation of the special features of their farms, their daily work and family life. They prepare a three-course menu with regional products. This time they are guests of organic winemaker Kathrin Otte from the Mehling winery in Deidesheim in the Palatinate, with the menu: Kathrin's grape cocktail, beef tartare in La Lot leaves with Palatine Asian glass noodle salad and sour and spicy dipping sauce, and baked Palatine figs on gratinated fresh goat cheese with caramelised walnuts.

Saturday, 4 May

Bavarian Television, 8.15 p.m.

Hansi Hinterseer
Summer Dream on the South Styrian Wine Route

Nature, animals, customs, tradition and lots of music - Hansi Hinterseer presents all this in a new episode of his programme "Hansi Hinterseer - Summer Dream on the South Styrian Wine Road".

Sunday, 5 May

WDR Television, 2.35 p.m.

My dream trip to the Champagne region - harvest mission at the vintner's

To take part in the grape harvest in the Champagne region is Jessica Rihm's dream. But is working in the vineyards really as romantic as she imagines? Champagne is known worldwide for its sparkling wine. Strict conditions in cultivation and further processing are what make Champagne so unique. The grapes for this noble drink are harvested exclusively by hand. Year after year, harvest workers come from all over the world to be part of this process. Jessica also wants to experience what it is like to stand in the vineyard. She knows the theory very well, as she works in a wine school. But the strenuous harvest is a new challenge for her as well. Jessica has chosen a small champagne estate in Cumières, in the Marne département. Things are supposed to be very family-like there. She is curious to see where the other harvest workers come from and is looking forward to working together and to the parties in the evening. But aren't the physical strains much greater than expected? We accompany Jessica on her work assignment in the Champagne region and are curious to see if her dream trip really remains one.

Sunday, 5 May

hr-television, 2.45 p.m.

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

Istria - this part of Croatia is not only extremely 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.

Sunday, 5 May

hr-television, 3.30 p.m.

Slovenia - Travelling in the Land of Legends and Myths

Slovenia is the land of a thousand faces. In a very small area you will find wonderful landscapes that could not be more different: the high mountain peaks of the Julian Alps with gorges and river valleys, fascinating caves and karst areas, cheerful wine villages and picturesque coastal towns like the Venetian-like Piran.

Sunday, 5 May

SWR Television, 4.00 p.m.

On the German Wine Route
People and traces along a holiday route

Many people along the Wine Route make their living from winegrowing. Gerhard Hoffmann, for example, one of the first organic winegrowers in Rhineland-Palatinate. Although an active member of the CDU and an avowed Catholic, he was attacked as a "green bomber" in the early years. Even many of the legal regulations of organic farming are not strict enough for him today. He would rather forego crop yields for reasons of conscience than make the smallest compromises when it comes to organic farming.

Monday, 6 May

hr-television, 5.00 a.m.

Enjoying the Rhine

The gourmet tour first takes us to the Rhine: to the largest Rhine island, the Mariannenaue. Wine has been grown here for hundreds of years - a light, sparkling Chardonnay. The wild boars also appreciate the taste of the grapes - and that's why many of them go into the sausage. During a romantic picnic on the island, winemaker Stefan Lergenmüller tastes sausage and wine with his friends. Afterwards, there is an exclusive tour of the huge cellars of Reinhardshausen Castle. The tour continues to Rüdesheim. After the grape harvest, the Rheingau has quietened down a bit. A nice opportunity to walk in the colourful vineyards and have a good meal afterwards.

Monday, 6 May

3sat, 4.20 p.m.

Romantic Rivers (1/3)
The Saar

The series embarks on a voyage of discovery to the rivers Saar, Neckar and Main. Each film follows a river from its source to its mouth and traces its unique character. The Saar, the German-French border river, is not even 250 kilometres long. It has many faces: hardly any other river in Europe combines such different motifs and landscapes on its banks over so few kilometres. The canalisation of the Saar in the 19th and 20th centuries has changed the landscape, and some of the deepest locks in Germany can now be found on its lower reaches. This is also the home of winemaker Christian Ebert. Industrial use and ecological viticulture may seem like a contradiction in many places, but not so on the Saar. Even steep slope expert Ebert has nothing against the cargo ships chugging along in front of his vineyards, on the contrary: the development into a major shipping route ensures an evenly wide expanse of water. This moderates the temperatures in winter. Less susceptible to frost and with a more pleasant acidity of their wines, the canalisation of the Saar has been a blessing for the winegrowers here. But time and again, the lock paradise is threatened. Politicians want to close some ship lifts for cost reasons. Then cross-border travel down the Saar in the future would no longer be possible, and French pleasure boaters would be cut off from large parts of their home river.

Monday, 6 May

3sat, 5.00 p.m.

Romantic Rivers (2/3)
The Neckar

For centuries, the Neckar has captivated people as the national river of Baden-Württemberg. From its idyllic headwaters, it flows through places like Rottweil, Tübingen and Heidelberg. When Victor Hugo visited Heidelberg, he was enchanted by the romanticism of the city and its location on the Neckar. Before it flows into Mannheim, everything is different, more modern, more industrial. Between the source at Schwenninger Moos and the mouth of the river, the film team meets fraternity girls in Tübingen with an official punting diploma as well as the oldest wine harvesting crew in Stuttgart, who are still clambering around on steep faces in the middle of the vibrant capital of the Swabians at well over sixty years of age. And it meets a young falconer who wants to release some wild birds back into the wild above the Neckar valley high above an 800-year-old Staufer castle.

Monday, 6 May

3sat, 5.45 p.m.

Romantic Rivers (3/3)
The Main

The Main is the only river in Europe that flows in all four directions. The film takes the Main from the source of the Weißmain and the Rotmain down to its mouth in the Rhine. The film introduces a real princess who, after a hard stroke of fate, took over the family business on the steepest vineyard on the Main, one of the last Main fishermen who goes out on the river with his two grown-up daughters, and one of Germany's youngest female sailing pilots who, at the age of 14, is already doing her rounds high above the Main. The documentary series "Romantic Rivers" combines footage of the beautiful landscape, shot on water, on land and in the air, with architectural discoveries and vividly told stories of the river residents. What all the rivers in the series have in common is a touch of romance, always palpable in the landscape and architecture of the large and small towns on the banks.

Monday, 6 May

SR Television, 6.50 p.m.

Wir im Saarland - Borderless extra
Holidays with the Neighbour - In the Heart of the Alsatian Wine Route

Chambres d'hôtes is the French version of bed'n'breakfast: instead of staying in a hotel, you sleep in other people's homes. They rent out rooms, make breakfast, sometimes even dinner. In its series "Holidays with our Neighbours", "Wir im Saarland - Grenzenlos" regularly presents special addresses in the border region. In an extra edition, this time we go to the Alsatian Wine Route. The film starts in Colmar. From there it goes along the wine route to Kientzheim with the oldest wine brotherhood in Alsace and a cellar with 60,000 bottles. The tranquil village of Zellenberg offers a good contrast to the lively Ribeauvillé, which is popular with tourists. At the end, the film team leaves the vineyards and drives a few kilometres uphill into the Vosges forest to Thannenkirch.

Tuesday, 7 May

ANIXE, 4.30 p.m.

On the road
Kaltern

Kaltern on the lake in South Tyrol. This is where Italian "dolce vita" and South Tyrolean down-to-earthness meet and give the region, as well as its people, a very special charm. In the region, everything revolves around wine, the No. 1 export. Along the South Tyrolean Wine Road, numerous wineries await you, where you can learn everything about the different grape varieties and growing areas. And as everywhere, you are invited to taste the wines, amidst cosy Alpine romance or at the Kalterer Wine Festival, which takes place every year at the beginning of September.

Tuesday, 7 May

ANIXE, 8.15 pmand 11.15 pm

Relic Wine Hunters (Episode 2)

One of the oldest wines in Greece - Malagousia - was rediscovered in 1966 and planted in the north of Greece. The wine owes its current comeback to the vision of shipping magnate John Carras and two Greek experts who took it upon themselves to spread the grape variety to other parts of Greece and even to the tranquil islands. Demetrio Stavrakas, a tenacious professor of oenology, tells us the story of the indigenous Malagousia grape. Nowadays it grows all over Greece, but nowhere is its past more fitting than on the historic island of Kos - where Hippocrates founded modern medicine and the Asklepieion stood overlooking the straits to Asia Minor. An island, then, that has been known for health and wine for more than 3000 years. Here the Malagusia vineyards stretch across stony foothills of an Aegean crater.

Wednesday, 8 May

arte, 10.05 a.m.

Corsica, wild beauty
The world of plants Available online from 08/05 to 15/05

Corsica, France's largest island, lies in the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered one of the most beautiful islands in the world. This is mainly due to its rich natural and cultural treasures. Above all, it is the wild, largely untouched landscapes that make Corsica so magical. The five-part series visits unusual people in special natural settings. The maquis is a wild, almost impenetrable scrubland on Corsica that covers almost two-thirds of the island. So there is not much space left for agriculture on Corsica. Agriculture, on the other hand, is characterised by olive and wine growing. Some of the island's farmers cultivate trees that were planted as early as the 16th century, they collect chestnuts and have been growing grapes since early antiquity. A good drop from Corsica is now appreciated all over the world.

The Patrimonio wine-growing area: wine has always been grown on Corsica and the island's drops have been appreciated since ancient times.

What's Up Films

Thursday, 9 May

ANIXE, 5.50 pm

On the road
Cyprus with Falk-Willy Wild

Cyprus is famous worldwide as a year-round sunny holiday paradise with beautiful beaches, blue skies and warm waters. But this fabulous island has much more to offer! Actor Falk-Willy Wild explores traditional villages, idyllic vineyards, chapels decorated with frescoes, remote monasteries, old churches. Of course, wine tasting at one of the most famous wineries, Zambartas, is not neglected. Willy will get sporty during a boat tour and a jet-ski ride.

Friday, 10 May

ORF III, 6.10 p.m.

New Territory: Germany - The Mountain on the Border

Andreas Korn goes in search of places where people have conquered a piece of Europe with creative ideas and thus opened up a piece of "new territory". So they still exist, the places and living spaces where young people can realise ideas and dreams. For decades, the Pfneisl family of winegrowers could only see the former vineyards of their ancestors in Hungary. Until the Iron Curtain fell, they could only grow wine in Austria. Today the family owns vineyards on both sides of the border. Andreas Korn visits the winegrowing dynasty in the midst of busy harvesting operations.

Friday, 10 May

rbb television, 2.45 p.m.

Our village has weekend
Roßbach in Saxony-Anhalt

Roßbach belongs to Naumburg and has made a name for itself as a "wine village". There are three professional wineries in the village and several people who grow wine as a hobby. After all, Roßbach is located in the recognised wine-growing region of Saale-Unstrut. There are only 260 inhabitants in the village, all of whom are very hard-working. That means they also work at weekends. The winegrowers, the cooper, the farmer - they all have work to do now in spring. And because people who work with wine are generally very festive and good hosts, many visitors come to Roßbach from time to time - in any case, the Straußenwirtschaften are already open. However, an excursion away from Roßbach is also planned: the funfair society will travel to Naumburg in the old tradition to inspect the funfair crown. Other highlights in the calendar of events are the wine mile at Whitsun, the funfair in September and Advent in the vineyards.

Saturday, 11 May

SWR Television, 3.15 p.m.

Land & Delicious
The winemaker from the Palatinate

Cooking competition of six countrywomen, combined with the presentation of the special features of their agricultural businesses, their daily work and family life. Preparation of a three-course menu from regional products. Today: A guest of organic winemaker Kathrin Otte from the Mehling Winery in Deidesheim in the Palatinate, with the menu Kathrin's grape cocktail, beef tartare in La Lot leaves with Palatinate-Asian glass noodle salad and sour-hot dipping sauce, and baked Palatinate figs on gratinated fresh goat cheese with caramelised walnuts.

Sunday, 12 May

ZDFinfo, 2.45 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." Indeed, women in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald region have the highest life expectancy in Germany. A total of 24,000 data records went into the study, weighted differently according to scientific guidelines. Ten researchers from Prognos worked on it for a year, including sociologists, political scientists and economists.

Monday, 13 May

SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.

PEOPLE
The Loreley Innkeeper
A New Impetus on the Middle Rhine

Daliah Geisel is the landlady of the Weinstübchen in Sankt Goarshausen. Like most restaurateurs, she is struggling. The small town at the foot of the Loreley Rock has seen better days. Although the number of day tourists in the Middle Rhine is rising again, not much money is staying in the region. In many places, frustrated operators of pubs and restaurants are giving up. The St. Goarshausen woman is doing the opposite. She believes in the future of the region, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is forging ahead. To buy up old properties, she gets into debt, takes risks. Together with her ex-husband, she is trying, against the resistance of the building authorities, to reopen the more than 100-year-old kiosk at the top of the stairs of the legendary Loreley Rock, so that hikers can buy snacks and bus passengers can buy refreshments. Daliah Geisel has also acquired the former village cinema in St. Goarshausen. It is to become a place for culture: for concerts, parties and of course films. Above all, she hopes to attract young people again. But the enterprising landlady also has to deal with setbacks. Sometimes she feels like a lone fighter. Nevertheless, she is not giving up and wants to fill the scenically attractive Middle Rhine Valley with more life.

Daliah Geisel, landlady of the Loreley wine tavern in Sankt Goarshausen.

Picture SWR

Monday, 13 May

Das Erste (ARD), 8.15 p.m.

Brussels as an Enemy
What do Europe's right-wing populists want?

Winemaker Andras Fazekas is a loyal voter of Hungary's right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Although the winegrower himself benefits from EU aid, he supports Orban's anti-Brussels course.

Winemaker Andras Fazekas, loyal voter of Hungary's right-wing populist prime minister. Although the winegrower himself benefits from EU aid, he supports Orban's anti-Brussels course.

Picture SWR

Tuesday, 14 May

ANIXE, 8.15 p.m.

Relic Wine Hunters (Episode 3)

In the deep south of France, thanks to the Mediterranean climate, there are fertile soils and wide skies that are always kept bright blue by the mistral winds from the north - in other words, the perfect conditions for growing wine. But its turbulent past haunts this wonderful country, which has been plagued by religious, political and industrial turmoil for centuries. Not to mention the deadly wine parasite that has infested all the vineyards. But times seem to be changing for the Languedoc province, as a few pioneers set out to revive its glorious past and its wines. A new generation of wine producers is breathing new life into long-lost varietals.

Wednesday, 15 May

ZDFinfo, 8.30 a.m.

Terra X
Rome on the Rhine

The Romans on the Rhine have not only left behind countless buildings, their traces can also be found in the cuisine. They cultivated wine along the Moselle, Rhine and Nahe rivers, which was even exported to Rome, and provided fresh vegetables in the form of rocket and goutweed.

Wednesday, 15 May

SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.

7 Days... among winegrowers

For the winemaking couple Kilian and Angelina, the support among friends and family is indispensable after hard blows of fate, so that they can harvest grapes and bottle wine year after year. With a close-knit group of friends, relatives and Eastern European harvest helpers, they climb Europe's steepest vineyards every autumn - on the Calmont on the Moselle. In the summer of the century, 2018, the vines are hanging full. So full, in fact, that the tanks quickly fill up during the harvest. Soon there is hardly room for all the wine in the cellar. The abundant harvest pushes all the helpers to their limits. Reporter Lucas Stratmann had to experience this first hand. As he climbs down the steep slope with 50kg of grapes on his back, he gets quite off balance. Without any previous experience, he mingled with the team of harvest workers for a week and hired himself out as an intern at the winery. Early in the morning, Lucas has to pack buckets and hots in the dark - then they all head up to the steep terraces where Riesling and Co. ripen, often in the thick fog of the Moselle. His fellow harvesters mostly come from Romania and hardly speak a word of German. Will Lucas Stratmann succeed in becoming part of the well-rehearsed team?

Lucas and Kilian in front of the tank in the cellar

Picture SWR

Thursday, 16 May

3sat, 1.20 p.m.

Liguria - Life between Sky and Sea

Life in Liguria is characterised by high mountains and the proximity to the coast. People always love, live and die "su o sciu", "up or down". The rhythm of the incessant ascent and descent culminates in the work on the narrow wine terraces of the Cinque Terre - an unmistakable cultural landscape that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

Saturday, 18 May

hr-television, 4.00 p.m.

Gourmet Journey to Cheese Paradise

Bernhard Antony from Alsace is also called the "cheese pope": In his small hometown you can buy the most delicious cheeses, but he also supplies the world of celebrities and star chefs. At the Frankfurt Genussakademie, Antony is a guest together with Paul Fürst from the top-class Fürst winery in Bürgstadt in Franconia. Together they treat the evening's guests to the finest cheese and wine. The film also accompanies Antony to his Alsatian homeland. There, the "cheese pope" gives a little insight into his private world: during a visit to his breakfast baker and in his favourite restaurant with his favourite Alsatian dish "baker's oven" - to try again.

Sunday, 19 May

Phoenix, 9.00 a.m.

In the shadow of the volcanoes
Etna - Living with the Lava

Mount Etna is Europe's largest non-submerged volcano. It rises 3000 metres out of the sea and is the most famous landmark of the Sicilian east coast. The slopes of Mount Etna are among the most fertile in all of Italy, thanks to constant ash rains. That is why the inhabitants of Catania also accept the danger and grow oranges and excellent wine there. "A volcano that smokes does not explode," they say. Experts, on the other hand, warn of toxic gases that are always produced.

Tuesday, 21 May

arte, 5.10 p.m.

Of bread, beer and wine
Side by side, against each other, with each other: German-French history

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. Is Germany really the land of rye and beer and France the land of wheat and wine? Historically, these contrasts are not tenable: as the maps show, the boundaries of diet were fluid. ARTE sets out to visit brewmasters and bakers as well as winegrowing families and champagne producers on both sides of the Rhine. With agronomists and food sociologists, the film explores German and French specialities and similarities in food culture. A view from above reveals the beauty of agricultural regions such as Champagne or Weltenburg on the Danube in Lower Bavaria.

The Ahr Valley near Bonn shows that Pinot Noir with French origins can also be produced in Germany.

Point du Jour

Tuesday, 21 May

ARD-alpha, 8.15 p.m.

Visiting France: Alsace, Bordeaux and Savoy

Bordeaux at the south-western end of the country, the capital of Aquitaine, is also full of stories and history. Its name is inseparably linked with famous and noble wines.

Wednesday, 22 May

ANIXE, 4.30 p.m.

On the road
South Australia with Sigmar Solbach

Following in the footsteps of the first settlers in the Barossa Valley, one comes across one of the best South Australian wines. The climate and the location right up to the southern ocean give the red wines their special flavour.

Friday, 24 May

SWR Television, 6.15 p.m.

Take a drive
Behind the Scenes of the Ahr

Peter and Michael Kriechel find the boards that mean their world in the Ahr valley. The oaks for their wine barrels grow in the forests above Dernau. For them, wine from the Ahr means that the wine barrels also come from the Ahr Valley. For a taste that you can really only get from them.

Saturday, 25 May

Bavarian Television, 5.00 p.m.

Gernstl in Greece
On the Peloponnese: The longing for home remains

In Nafplio, 150 kilometres south of Athens, Sophocles Papaioannou grows wine. An ancient variety, 3,500 years old. The grape juice is deep black. Sophokles lived for a long time as a successful entrepreneur in Bavaria, but he was drawn back to his homeland. German diligence combined with the Greek way of life - that would be the perfect combination, he says with a smile. And he is also thinking a little about himself.

Saturday, 25 May

SWR Television, 5.00 p.m.

PortoI want to go there!

Old trams, spectacular views, morbid charm and lots of wine - that's Porto. For a long time, Portugal's second largest city was considered an insider tip. Yet it attracts more and more visitors every year. Even presenter Simin Sadeghi cannot escape the charm of Porto. She is on her way to Ribeira, the picturesque quarter on the banks of the Douro River, and from there continues through the old town, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. There Simin meets the architect Bernardo Amaral. He shows her how much Porto has changed in recent years. More and more houses in the old town, which was almost completely abandoned only a short time ago, are coming back to life. Many new shops and cafés invite you to stroll and linger. Simin Sadeghi is also drawn to what is probably the most famous shop in the city: the Lello bookshop. This is where author J.K. Rowling was inspired for her first Harry Potter novel. Today, the old bookshop is a much photographed sight. Just like the many azulejos, the old wall tiles typical of northern Portugal. Of course, Porto is famous for its port wine. But it actually comes from Vila Nova de Gaia, the town across the river. That's where the port houses have their huge warehouses and tasting rooms. Simin Sadeghi traces the secrets of port wine there and tries her hand at blending different wines in a winemaker's laboratory. The metro takes us from the city centre to Matosinhos on the Atlantic beach. There you will not only find fresh fish, but also a whole range of surfing schools. Time for Simin to take a ride on the wave.

Sunday, 26 May

arte, 16.20

The great myths
God and Dandy: Dionysus

Zeus is known in mythology as a true ladies' man. One day he seduces a mortal, Semele, the princess of Thebes. She gives him a son, Dionysus, who is initially denied access to Olympus because of his dual nature and the rage of Hera, Zeus' wife. Dionysus is raised by nymphs. He already knows that he has a long and arduous road ahead of him until the gods recognise him. He becomes a wandering god, a vagabond. One morning Dionysus makes a discovery that will change the lives of mortals: The young god finds grapes, and the idea matures in his mind to grow vines and press wine from the grapes. He decides to travel the world and pass on the knowledge of how to make wine to the people. With a noisy, outlandish entourage of maenads and satyrs, he travels through Syria and Egypt to Thrace and India, among other places. As an outsider, however, he meets with rejection in many places. Even in his native city of Thebes, he has difficulty making his voice heard. King Pentheus, who reigns there, takes offence at the pride of the young demigod and has to pay bitterly for it. It will take a long time before his tolerance and openness, his love of poetry and theatre, and his joy in dressing up and partying will prevail and the cult of Dionysus will emerge. The programme is also available online from 26/05 to 25/07 on ARTE's internet portal.

Monday 27 May

arte, 8.00 a.m.

Feasting with Gérard Depardieu
Bavaria

Actor and gourmet Gérard Depardieu and chef Laurent Audiot are on the road in Europe and Morocco. Together they explore the culture and culinary specialities of the respective regions and visit the producers of very special foods. In this episode they discover Bavarian specialities: Simmental beef, sauerkraut and pretzels from Bichl. In the undergrowth at Suttensee they pick mushrooms and taste the world-famous Weißwurst. On the Samerberg they watch Bartholomäus Mayer distilling schnapps and on the idyllic Tegernsee they visit a whitefish and pike fisherman. On the Samerberg, there is the smell of fruit schnapps made from blueberries, quinces, pears or apricots. Bartholomäus Mayer distils exclusively for his own use. He is only allowed to distil 300 litres of vinous alcohol a year, which still yields 700 litres of fruit schnapps. The last stop is the picturesque Tegernsee. In Christoph von Preysing's fishery there are two masters, two journeymen and two apprentices. Germany is the only country in Europe to offer training as a fisherman. After returning from the lake, Gérard and Laurent watch the fish being smoked. The programme is also available online from 27/05 to 26/06 on ARTE's internet portal.

Monday, 27 May

3sat, 14.20

on the road - Argentina, the north
Mountains, wine and waterfalls

In the north of Argentina, an adventurous bus tour leads to the mountain village of Tilcara. Andrea Jansen gets up close and personal with llamas and experiences a trekking of a different kind. Afterwards, the presenter sets off on the long road to Colomé, a winery far away from any paved roads or big cities. The journey becomes a road trip in spectacular scenery, and the winery turns out to be a wine oasis in the middle of high mountains.

Tuesday, 28 May

Phoenix, 5.15 a.m.

The Moselle
From the source to Metz

It flows through the green heart of Europe - the Moselle. In the Vosges mountains it rises 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.

Tuesday, 28 May

Phoenix, 6.00 a.m.

The Moselle
Three countries, one river

In the second stage, the Moselle shows its delightful 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.

Tuesday, 28 May

Phoenix, 6.45 a.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.

Tuesday, 28 May

3sat, 1.20 p.m.

Rail Pilgrims between Latium and Abruzzo

At the gates of Rome lies Viterbo, the city of the popes, where the term "conclave" was once coined. Half an hour's train ride southeast of Rome is Frascati, where the wine that the popes loved to drink grows. This wine was too expensive for ordinary mortals. Transporting it overland was simply too costly in ancient Rome. The Romans got their wine by ship from the colonies, which is the subject of an exhibition in Rome that is well worth seeing, where you can also learn that tomatoes have only existed in Italy since the 16th century. Eating and drinking was just as important in the Roman Empire as rest and relaxation.

Wednesday, 29 May

Bavarian Television, 7.00 p.m.

STATIONS
SpiriTour - Retreat away from the hustle and bustle

On the eve of Ascension Day, Irene Esmann goes in search of alternatives and shows places to stop for a break away from the noisy streets. This "SpiriTour" leads along old pilgrimage paths to enchanted chapels, to special places in vineyards and forests. But there are also places of retreat in the city where it is worth stopping off.

Thursday, 30 May

hr-television, 5.20 a.m.

Mallorca's quiet sides
Island tours away from the summer hustle and bustle

September is the month of the grape harvest and perfect for tasting the delicious local wines. This can be done conventionally in the bodegas, but also in a completely different way during a ride on the "Wine Express", a wooden train on wheels that takes visitors to a tasting in the middle of the vineyard.

Thursday, 30 May

SWR Television, 9.15 a.m.

Festivals and Customs in the Countryside - Memories from the Southwest

Festivals and customs used to be a welcome change from the hard everyday life in the villages. They gave people the opportunity to meet, celebrate together and exchange news - and perhaps also to meet the love of their lives. When Neustadt-Gimmeldingen in the Palatinate celebrates its Almond Blossom Festival, spring begins with the first wine festival in the Palatinate. Matthias Frey reports on the time when his great-grandfather founded the festival. The oldest wine festival in Germany is celebrated in Winningen on the Moselle. Lothar Specht recalls his many performances with the Winningen dance and costume group.

Thursday, 30 May

MDR Television, 3.15 p.m.

Böttcher can do it!

Thomas Böttcher, the Saxon veteran, travels through Central Germany in search of his homeland - on foot and in scorching heat. He has set his sights high. His hike takes him from a vineyard near Naumburg to a vineyard in Meissen.

The programme may be changed at short notice.

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