Weinstube Kesselstatt | Photo by Anna Bagiackas ()
Every time I visit the city of Trier, I inevitably find myself making a stop at Weinstube Kesselstatt. Whether it’s a day trip hosting visiting family members to this beautiful old city or a simple getaway during the German lockdown, Weinstube Kesselstatt has always been there to welcome me with open arms, delicious wine and scrumptious food.
With Trier’s location along the Mosel River, one of the world’s most renowned wine regions, this wine tavern offers a lengthy wine list for all wine palates. They have been in the winemaking business for over 650 years, and as the Mosel wine region is known for the steep and slate-covered vineyard slopes that produce their Riesling white wines, Weinstube Kesselstatt focuses on Rieslings too. You can either sip wines at the winery or buy wine to take home—perfect for gifts or if you are just discovering what types of German wines you like.
This winemaker and winery will always hold a nostalgic place in my heart, as Trier was our very first adventure after landing in Germany and we popped open a bottle of Kesselstatt sekt (sparkling wine) when we moved into our new home.
Their meals also continue to impress me, particularly their seasonal dishes. From white asparagus soup and strawberry and asparagus salads in the spring to elaborate boards of local cheeses and meats and perfectly crisped pan-fried potatoes with warm schnitzel in the fall and winter, their menu is constantly changing to showcase the best of the season’s produce.
If you’re visiting, you can choose to sit inside the winery, which is full of dark wooden furniture and tables surrounded by wine bottles to look at. Weather permitting, you can also choose outdoors, standing at a makeshift table built on wine barrels or sitting on their terrace, surrounded by grapevines and with close-up views of the Trier Cathedral. You may almost feel like you’re steps away from the historical vineyards along the river, as you sit in this quiet sanctuary, sipping your Riesling.
The Wine Cellar
Not only is the winery and restaurant worth a visit, but the historic cellar is also part of Weinstube Kesselstatt’s charm. The 17th-century cellars were built on parts of a Roman glassworks factory and stretched approximately 4,000 square meters, storing 400 oak barrels. Wine was made in these cellars until around 1980 when the process was relocated, but the cellars remain a spot for wine tastings, wine storage and other events.
The winery hosts various opportunities for wine tasting, from private tastings for a group to a wine walk around the Kesselstatt Palace and Trier Cathedral as well as tastings in the cellar. Reservations and English-tasting requests should be made ahead of time.
Located an hour-and-a-half drive or two-hour train ride from Kaiserslautern, the winery is next to the Trier Cathedral, off the main thoroughfare that runs through the city. Wander through Germany’s oldest city, stopping at the Porta Nigra Roman city gate and peeking in shops along the way, all in anticipation of a refreshing glass of wine and tasty German meal to come. http://www.weinstube-kesselstatt.de/
