Dear people of Wiesbaden,

It will soon be that time again: Schlossplatz and the Dern'sche Gelände will be transformed into the "longest wine bar in the world", just like every year. From Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 17, local winegrowers will be offering their best wines in a unique atmosphere at the Rheingau Wine Week 2025 - our wine festival.

This year, we can look forward to around 120 stands offering Riesling and other types of wine as well as other drinks and many culinary delights. I am particularly looking forward to the wine stand of our Ukrainian twin town Kamjanez-Podilskyj, which will be serving selected wines from wine-growing regions in the south and west of Ukraine. It is important to me personally not only to share wine culture with the wine stand, but also to send a visible signal of our solidarity with Ukraine.

In the region around our twin city, young winegrowers are defying the war economy and giving new impetus to local viticulture. But the established wine-growing areas in the Carpathians, Bessarabia and the Odessa region also have exciting wines in their repertoire. For example, you can taste "Shabo Brut" white wines or "Suholimanske", a cross between Chardonnay and Plavai. If you prefer red and rosé wines, you should try the Odessa Black VIP dry 2019 or a fruity rosé Cabernet Sauvignon. I am sure that both amateur sommeliers and casual connoisseurs alike will enjoy the Ukrainian wines.

On the three stages, around 50 bands of various styles will provide a good atmosphere and musical entertainment. You can also purchase the coveted collector's glass at the ESWE Versorgung stand again this year: it shows an artistic motif by graphic artist Mirjam Pönisch and has the motto "It's time for ZwiWa - Zwischenwasser". The proceeds will go to the Stroke Initiative Wiesbaden/Rheingau-Taunus e.V., which has been working for more than 20 years to improve the care of those affected.

To make it easier for families with children to visit the wine festival, there are accompanying offers - such as the childcare provided by the Protestant Family Education Center in the Haus an der Marktkirche at the weekends. It is open on Saturdays from 4 pm to 10 pm and on Sundays from 1 pm to 8 pm, and on Sundays the service is even free of charge. There is also a breastfeeding and changing room available for families in the town hall from Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm, and Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm, with a key available at the gate.

Sustainability is also a focus at the Rheingau Wine Week: once again, the stand operators will not be using plastic crockery and cutlery. For a safe and climate-friendly journey to and from the event, you can purchase the popular wine festival ticket from ESWE Verkehr, which, as every year, can be redeemed as a voucher for a glass of wine from participating winegrowers.

True to the motto of this year's water glass, "It's time for ZwiWa - Zwischenwasser", I would like to talk about the heat, which has already made things difficult for us in Wiesbaden this year. The summer is here to stay - so it is all the more important that we deal with the heat carefully together. Especially on such days, we should not only take care of ourselves, but also of our fellow human beings - especially vulnerable groups such as small children, the elderly and the sick.

In the city administration, we are working intensively on the question of how we can prepare for extreme weather situations. One example is our interactive "map of cool places" on the city's website. Various locations such as cool public buildings, parks and green spaces are marked on this map. It also lists "refill stations" - these are stores or other facilities where you can have your water bottle refilled free of charge. You can also find helpful information on how to get through the hot days at wiesbaden.de/hitzeschutz.

Our city is characterized by the fact that we not only look out for each other and are there for each other, but also celebrate our festivals together. That is why I am convinced that the Rheingau Wine Week will once again provide us with ten days of enjoyment and conviviality this year. I look forward to getting into conversation with you over a cool drink and wish you a wonderful time at our wine festival.

Sincerely

Gert-Uwe Mende
Lord Mayor