The Besen Perspective: A Different Look at German Wine

Shhh.

For wine lovers traveling to Germany, I have found a secret that truly has never been revealed to tourists. I’ve searched high and low, and the only ones who write about Baden-Wurttemberg’s Besenwirtschaften – or seasonal wine inns – are Germans.

And what a shame that is. After living in Stuttgart for nearly two years, I have found that the Besens, as they are more familiarly referred to, are one of the best ways to dip into local culture, not to mention some of this region’s unique wines. German law allows winemakers to sell their wine and simple foods directly to consumers through these Besens that can only seat at most 40 people at a time and only for four months a year, anytime between September and the end of May. Clearly, the Germans have recognized that it’s a great place to taste wine, meet up with friends and make new ones, because the places are always packed.

And as precious as some limited edition California Pinot Noirs or Syrahs may be, you will find a whole new world of wine in Baden-Wurttemberg that you never knew existed. According to Ernst Büscher at the German Wine Institute, in southern Germany, as vineyards were passed down in families, they were traditionally divided up by the number of children, making smaller and smaller vineyards through the years and making it almost impossible to export. Most wine from this region never leaves this region, or at least the country, thus making the Besen an important outreach tool for wine distribution. And the environment in which they serve reminds me of…well, Oktoberfest, but with large vierteles (quart-liters) of wine replacing huge steins of beer. It truly is one of the most unusual and fun wine experiences I have ever had.

A little Besen history

Besens have been around since Karl the Great allowed them in the year 800, when he decided that the king didn’t really need to have all the wine, so he allowed the winemakers to sell their wine to others. The winemakers initially placed a wreath on the door to indicate when they were open for business, but the more practical broom replaced this. That’s still the case.

Today, winemakers are still allowed to forego the work of getting a restaurant or liquor license to sell directly to consumers as long as they limit their business to just four months of the year. The Besens can only sell simple food. Besides sausages and maultaschen (essentially German ravioli often served as a soup in broth), there is schnitzel, lentils or some simply cooked meat with spaetzle noodles. The home-cooked meals seem quite appropriate as most of the Besens are in winemakers’ homes, refurbished stables or ancillary buildings to their winemaking. Not surprising, the places are consistently small, but cozy. By law, health inspectors visit the Besens weekly, so they are also clean.

Wine surprise

Without a doubt, the most popular wine at the Besens is– you won’t believe this – one of their reds. We know Germany for its Reislings and Gewürztraminers, but here in Baden-Württemberg, they make the Trollinger. It’s only made here, and it’s only sold here. And, despite being called a “red,” it reminds one more of a dark rosé. A good friend compares it to the refreshing and pervasive rosé of Provence, and I think she is not too far off the mark.

But Trollinger isn’t the only wine the will likely be a new adventure. Here we also have Dornfelder reds and Müller-Thurgau and Kerner whites, as well as Germany’s own version of sparkling wine called sekt. That comes from this region as well and can be quite interesting. At the Sonnenbesen in Untertürkheim, just outside Stuttgart, I had a wonderful Gewürztraminer sekt that conveyed a floral complexity whose effervescence made it uniquely refreshing.

The most interesting thing about drinking German wine in Germany is that it is nothing like the sweet, even cloying wines you will mostly find from this country in the States. I was shocked to find that many white wines here are trocken (dry) or at least halb-trocken, rather than lieblich (sweet).

But, while people go for the wine or maybe even the home cookin’, they clearly linger on because of the fun. If there’s not planned music or entertainment, it likely occurs spontaneously as an owner or visitor starts singing, reciting homegrown poetry or just telling jokes. And, if you think it’s only for folks who speak German, think again. While the owners may not speak English, someone in the place always does. Besens are inclusive—everyone generally sits at long tables, check to cheek, always making room for “just one more.”

The best way to find one of the more than 500 Besens in Baden-Württemberg is online. My favorite site is http://www.besenkalendar.de. You can tell it where you want to go and when, and it says which Besens are open that day. Additionally, the Stuttgart train system even has a brochure that is available online with several Besens that are at its train stops. However, there are many others, not included in this brochure that are near train stops. Lastly, there is http://www.besentermine.de/, which has even more Besens to choose from.

According to Büscher, the Württemberg region has the highest per capita wine consumption for all of Germany and is known for its exceptional wine – especially its Trollinger. “They buy liter upon liter of wine in much the same way many would buy water,” he laughs. “It’s a special region.”

Ivy F. Kupec