Wollmesheim & Wernersberg · Palatinate, Germany · October 2025
My father's hometown, a glass of wine with old friends, a castle at sunset, and a plate of Saumagen.
GERMANYAfter Colmar, Philipp and I drove north out of France and back into Germany, into the Pfalz, the Palatinate. This stop was personal: we were heading to Wollmesheim, the village where my father was born. Wine country, old friends, and a night in the forest hills at Wernersberg.
Our day, step by step
- Drive North from France into the Pfalz
- Roots Wollmesheim, my father's birthplace
- Wine Old friends at Weingut Dicker
- Stay A night in Wernersberg
- Evening Canals, water wheels and Saumagen
Wollmesheim, my father's hometown
Wollmesheim is a small wine village that today belongs to the city of Landau in der Pfalz. Driving past the yellow town sign felt special. The village is surrounded by vineyards, and in late October the rows of vines were glowing orange, gold and red, with the last dark grapes still hanging. In the village, grapevines climb up the old houses and over the big arched wooden gates of the wine farms.
A glass of wine at Weingut Dicker
In Wollmesheim we visited old friends at the Weingut Dicker, a family winery in the village. We sat at the big wooden table, talked about old times and tasted their white wine. The winery's logo on the glasses shows an arched gate, just like the old wine-farm gates you see all over the village. Visiting a winery with friends in the Pfalz is about as good as it gets.
A night in Wernersberg
For the night we drove into the forested hills of the Palatinate Forest to Wernersberg, a small village celebrating 700 years. From the balcony, the view went across golden autumn woods to a castle sitting on a rocky hilltop: Burg Trifels, where the English king Richard the Lionheart was once held prisoner. At sunset the sky turned orange behind the church tower, and later the castle stood out as a black silhouette against the glowing clouds.
Canals and water wheels
In the evening we wandered through the old town of Annweiler below the castle. A stream runs right between the houses, past an old wooden water wheel, half-timbered buildings and flower boxes full of red geraniums. As it got dark, the street lamps came on and one half-timbered house glowed bright purple, reflected in the water. Very pretty, and very quiet.
Pfälzer Saumagen
And then dinner, with the most famous dish of the Pfalz: Saumagen, literally "sow's stomach." Don't let the name scare you! A pig's stomach is filled with pork, potatoes and spices, slowly cooked, then cut into thick slices and fried until crispy. It comes with sauerkraut and dark bread. It became famous all over Germany because Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who came from the Pfalz, loved it and served it to world leaders. With a cold wheat beer, it was the perfect end to a long day of driving. Definitely an interesting dish!
Tip: if you see Saumagen on a menu in the Pfalz, order it. It tastes much better than it sounds, and it's the true local specialty.
Good to know
- Wollmesheim
- A wine village that's part of Landau in der Pfalz, surrounded by vineyards
- Wine
- The Pfalz is Germany's second-largest wine region. Many family wineries welcome visitors for tastings.
- Wernersberg
- A small village in the Palatinate Forest with views to Burg Trifels
- Eat
- Pfälzer Saumagen with sauerkraut and bread
- Best time
- October, when the vineyards turn gold and the new wine is in
Have you ever visited the town where your family comes from?
Tell me in the comments, or send me a question if you're planning a trip to the Pfalz.
