Wine tasting at Schloss Janson: A family-run winery in Germany’s Pfalz region

Oct 15

Nestled in the Pfalz region of Germany is Schloss Janson Winery. If the idea of visiting a winery housed on the grounds of a former castle doesn’t already have your excitement brimming, the drive through the countryside lined with vineyards will undoubtedly do the trick. The organic, family-owned, and operated winery is situated on the grounds of the former Emichburg Castle, a castle believed to have once housed livestock and animals to supply the other nearby castles. Since 1831, the Janson family has been curating elegant, everyday wines.

Upon arrival, you are warmly met by owners Kurt and Sarah Janson. Kurt, a sixth-generation winemaker, owns the winery and runs it with his wife, Sarah, whom he met while doing an internship at a winery in Long Island, New York (her hometown) in 2001. Over the years, the family’s land has been used for farming and winemaking; however, today their focus is solely on winemaking, with weddings and events hosted on-site. In addition to the winery, you can opt to stay at their lovely on-site guesthouse, which accommodates up to 15 guests.

*Riesling grapes ripe and ready for harvest!*

Schloss Janson produces thirty wine varieties, with Riesling grapes being the variety they grow the most of. Their top-selling wine is Grauburgunder, with Chardonnay being Sarah’s personal favorite and Weißburgunder being Kurt’s. Everything is done on site, from grape growing on their 24 hectares of land to harvest, to crushing, aging, and bottling. The Janson family is proud of this fact, as they are a smaller family-run winery. They bottle 100,000 bottles of wine a year.

Visitors are offered three different tours when visiting: a historic tour of the grounds, a vineyard tour, or a cellar tour. All tours start with a glass of sparkling wine upon arrival, then conclude with a sampling of four wines paired with a savory charcuterie board.

Reservations are required for all tours; please plan ahead. Their winery is located just forty minutes from Kaiserslautern and approximately two hours from Stuttgart. They welcome group sizes of 4-14 people.