If you’re looking to get out of the house and into nature, and if that hasn’t been forbidden by the authorities where you live as part of the fight against the coronavirus, the Robert Weil Winery near Wiesbaden could be the place for you.

Walking in the open air among the vines is a great way to break the monotony of being cooped up indoors during these times of coronavirus self-isolation and quarantine.

The winery and estate are located in the undulating countryside, 12 miles from Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, in the small, picturesque town of Kiedrich.

Walking into the grounds of the estate, I was struck by how beautiful it is. Tall, well-manicured bushes line either side of the gravel walkway leading to the 19th-century manor house. Vines stretch as far as the eye can see on either side of the path.

A staff member greeted me at the manor house and encouraged me to explore the estate’s 222 acres.

The path I’d taken led me past a brook and up into the hills, from where I had a view of Kiedrich.

I thought, as I walked amongst the vines, that they must be breathtaking when in full bloom.

I passed many locals, old and young, out walking. Of course, I stayed at least one meter away from them, including when I sat on one of the benches dotted around the estate to rest my legs and take in the fresh air.

Back at the manor house, I was invited to view the estate’s original tasting rooms. A sommelier, or wine expert, explained in fluent English the more than 20 varieties of Riesling produced by Robert Weil. The vineyard produces dry, sweet and sparkling Rieslings and everything in between, and all are reasonably priced, he said.

But he could only talk about the wines — tastings have been suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. I’ll have to come back when the virus is behind us and, hopefully, the vines are in blossom.

Edge.david@stripes.com Twitter: @DavidEdge96798393

DIRECTIONS: Address: Muehlberg 5, 65399 Kiedrich; A 20-minute drive from Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, 1 hour on the A63 highway from Kaiserslautern, 1 ½ hours via the B50 road from Spangdahlem or the same time from Baumholder via the B41

TIMES: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

COSTS: Entry to the estate and vineyards is free. Wine is available for purchase, with bottles starting at around 14 euros

INFORMATION: Online: weingut-robert-weil.com/en

Migrated