Looking for a German wine experience like no other? Experience the ultimate wine lover’s fantasy in the small village of Ingelheim! Pick grapes, sample the juice, and witness the magical transformation into wine. Learn, laugh, and indulge in this immersive journey into the heart of winemaking. This was our experience, and we loved it!
Germany is home to several popular wine regions, with the Rheingau area along the Rhine River being one of the most renowned. As you drive through the valley, you can see vineyards on both sides of the river. The neat, straight rows of heavily-laden grapes in vibrant green color seem to march up and over the rolling hills.
The Rhine and Mosel regions have rocky terroir and sleet soils, which bode well for the grapes that thrive under the sun’s beating rays. Throughout the summer and fall, the vineyards produce beautiful white wines that Germany is famous for.
In this article:
- Our Grape Harvest
- Picking Grapes
- Lunch in the Vineyard
- The Winery
- The Wines
- Rating our Experience
- Getting There
- Table of Distances and Times
- Things to Do Nearby
Our Grape Harvest Day of Fun
Our day started out at the store and business office of Singer-Fischer Winery. Here we met the family and had a little introduction before climbing into their wine trailers to head out to the vineyards where they soon put us to work.
The winery is right downtown in Groß Winternheim which is technically part of Ingelheim. The town which, is close to the Rhine River, has many vineyards, many of which grow grapes for red wine which is a little unusual for Germany.
Germany is known for its white wines, which grow well in this wet climate. We enjoyed both white and red wines on this tour. We learned all about the growing conditions and the process from Andrea who now runs this part of the family business.
Picking Grapes
Once we arrived at their rows and rows of grape vines, we were taught how to pick them. We learned that nowadays the grape picking is done by machine, and of course, every grape is picked and dumped into the press.
However, you can be much more discerning when people pickers do the job. We were at the vineyard at the end of the season, so many of the grapes were over-ripe. When this happens, they turn brown. As humans, we were to cut off the brown bits and only keep the beautiful green grapes to be pressed into our wine.
After our lesson, we were handed gloves, clippers, and a bucket each. We then set upon the four rows of grapes we were slotted to pick. It was fun for awhile, but after an hour, you do start to feel a pain in your lower back and really begin to appreciate the folks who work in the vineyards. I think we picked just enough to get a full appreciation and lesson from the job without going overboard.
Lunch in the Vineyard
For me, one of the best parts of the day was having our lunch right there among the grapes. Klaus’ wife and two other ladies had made our lunch, packaged it up, put up and set the tables, and were ready for us when we got there.
We had a wonderful gulasch over boiled potatoes with a fresh green salad. This was all washed down with their delectable wines, giving us yet another chance to pick our favorites before we headed back to the shop. We even had dessert which was an amazing red wine cake, something I’d never tasted before.
Lunch was fun, yummy, and really one of the highlights of the tour.
The Winery
When we were finished with lunch, we headed back to the winery where they brought in our grapes we’d picked and dumped them in the press. At this point, we learned what would happen to our grapes as they went into the production line. We were promised a bottle of our wine when it was finished, a couple months later.
After our production lesson came another great part, wine-tasting. Andrea kept bringing out various varieties of the wine they produced and we all went into a true buying frenzy. I may have been one of the most conservative buyers as I only bought six bottles. To be honest, I wished I’d bought more. It was delicious.
The Wines
We tried about eight different wines between lunch and at the shop. They produce a variety of red, white, and sparkling wines, and they also supply wooden barrels to certain Scottish whiskey makers. So, in addition to wines, their store holds a selection of whiskeys. Sampling and choosing from the vast array of options was an enjoyable way to wrap up our day.
My personal favorite was the Pinot Blanc that we had during our lovely outdoor lunch in the vineyards. It was a fruity and floral wine that really pleased my senses. I couldn’t help but go home with a few bottles.
Picking Grapes Near Me – Rating
The whole experience, from grape-picking to pressing, and from tasting to sharing a midday meal amidst the vineyards, was an absolute delight. What added to the charm were the candid conversations shared with the dedicated pickers and the warm and welcoming Singer-Fischer family. These interactions offered a glimpse into the life of vineyard owners and the relentless work that goes into each bottle of wine.
I can’t stress enough how much fun we had visiting the Singer-Fischer Vineyards. From picking grapes to doing a wine tasting at their business office, it was a blast.
Klaus and Andrea worked with our large group to design our experience for us, so if you have a large group, I would give them a call, reference our article and tell them you’d like to do the same thing.
However, for smaller groups, they do have a number of vineyard experience and wine-tasting options that you can choose from on their website. All of the tours give you a personal and fun vineyard experience.
Getting There
It’s probably easiest to drive to Ingelheim and the winery at Groß Winterheim. However, it is super simple to take the train. Just head to the Ingelheim train station which is only a bus ride away from the winery.
Below is a table of distances with the time it will take to get there.
The Singer-Fischer Winery address is:
Obentrautstraße 39
55218 Ingelheim/Großwinternheim
Approximate Driving Distance from Major Cities and Military Communities
| Community | Driving Distance/Time | Time via Train |
|---|---|---|
| Wiesbaden | 39 km/36 min. | 50 min. |
| Ramstein-Kaiserslautern | 100 km/1.5 hour | 4 hours |
| Stuttgart | 212 km/2.5 hours | 2 hours 10 min. |
| Schinnen, Netherlands | 250 km/ 3 hours | 4 hours |
| Brussels, Belgium | 350 km/ 4 hours | 4.5 hours |
| Grafenwöhr | 370 km/ 4.5 hours | 6 hours |
Things to Do Nearby
- Take a Rhine Cruise
- Visit the castles on the Rhine, like Burg Eltz
- Do the Rüdesheim Ring Route (a fun hike)
- Visit Wiesbaden or Frankfurt
Conclusion
The tour was a lot of fun – we got to experience grape-picking, have lunch at a vineyard, and taste different wines throughout the day. It was a tiring day, but it was worth it because I felt fulfilled and content at the end of it.
This immersive experience is an absolute must for any wine enthusiast, especially if you are like me and have always dreamed of being able to pick my own grapes.
Author Bio – Corinne is an avid camper and traveler. She’s been to all 50 of the US states and has four more Canadian provinces to visit. However, she’s not stopping yet. There’s always more to see of this great continent! Corinne loves local foods, getting outdoors, landscape photography, and road trips.