The breakfast smells of coffee, homemade jam and fresh bread rolls from the local bakery. From the overnight rooms, the path to breakfast leads through the park-like farm garden: ‘Guests tell us that just walking through the garden relaxes them!’ says Ulla Bernhard-Räder. Visitors enjoy the familiar atmosphere: those who are travelling are happy to find a piece of home!
A pioneer in wine tourism
The Bernhard-Räder winery has existed in this form since 1987 and is named after the Bernhard and Räder families – the business was passed down through their wives. Winegrowing dates back to 1818 as documented by cellar books – the buildings were partly constructed on the historic walls of a castle. Ulla Bernhard-Räder and her husband Rüdiger Räder from Hillesheim near Oppenheim have turned the mixed agricultural business into a 32-hectare vineyard with attractive wines. The idea of offering overnight accommodation was born after the German reunionification in the 1990s.
The Bernhard-Räder family took part in the wine festival in Chemnitz in the new federal states. The customers liked the wine from Rheinhessen and wanted to visit the wine-growing region – but there weren’t many guest rooms in the region at the time. So the family converted the barn behind the garden into a guest house. In addition to the Wine Experience House, which was renovated in 2020, they built a garden house with additional guest rooms in the centre of the garden in 2022 – at ground level and barrier-free.
Wine-themed rooms for guests
Ulla Bernhard-Räder gathered inspiration for the interior design of the guest rooms while travelling to wine-growing regions all over the world. The bathrooms are open-plan and each room is individually furnished with different wine themes and colour concepts. The green grape room is dominated by photos from the vineyards, the warm purple colour of the wine stone room with real wine stones creates a cosy atmosphere, while a photo of daughter-in-law Alexandra Räder was projected onto a photo wallpaper in the lavender room. A carpenter from the region customised the furnishings for the rooms.
All family members are as individual as the interior design: Senior Rüdiger Räder is a master winemaker and looks after the outdoor operations, the farm garden and the wine tours with guests. His wife Ulla Bernhard-Räder is an ecotrophologist, personally welcomes guests and is responsible for marketing. His son Philipp is a viticultural technician and cellar master – vegan organic wines are one of his specialities. His wife Alexandra looks after the service and office – as well as presentations and sales.
Good feelings all around
In its range of wines, the winery focuses on regional varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer, as well as Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Blanc. The red varieties on offer include Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, St. Laurent, Regent and Cabernet Sauvignon. The interesting white and red wine cuvées are very popular. The ‘Ulrubera’ barrique red wine cuvée – a feel-good wine based on Ulla Bernhard-Räder’s recipe – fits in with the feel-good concept of the triad of winery, guest rooms and farm garden.
The prize for the Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Award 2025 in the ‘Accommodation’ category is awarded to Weingut & Gästehaus Bernhard-Räder in Flomborn. The jury was impressed by the authentic atmosphere of the ‘holiday on the winegrower’s farm’ and the warm, family-like service provided to guests.
Following the 2013 award in the ‘Architecture, Parks and Gardens’ category and 2016 for ‘Sustainability’, this is the third award for the dedicated winery.
More information
Learn more about the winery at its website.
About the blogger
TV- and wine journalist Wolfgang Junglas is responsible for tv broadcasts such as “The Election of the German Wine Queen” in the entertainment editorial department at SWR Television in Mainz. He is also a writer, president of Weinfeder e. V., president of FIJEV and lecturer at Geisenheim University, Geisenheim.
Learn more about Rheinhessen and its wine capital Mainz in their page: Mainz | Rheinhessen