The sky-high cypress trees immediately bring back memories of Italy, palm trees grow behind the house, and the box hedges form labyrinthine, intricate shapes – truly, the gardens at the Listmann winery are reminiscent of another place, another time. But we are in Rheinhessen, just a few kilometers away from the Palatinate, which is often referred to as the Tuscany of Germany. "I'm always thrilled when I drive over the Brenner Pass and see the cypress trees," enthuses Eckhard Listmann: "We could have gardens like that here too."

Forty years ago, Eckhard Listmann fell in love with the Victorian garden style. It was in Bonn, where Listmann was studying agricultural sciences, and he liked to take his books with him to the botanical garden. There, the young man discovered the landscaped gardens of another era – and was fascinated.

Today, 2,500 boxwood plants form two large rondels and countless hedges in his garden in Dorn-Dürkheim, the rondels cut into wheel-shaped stars. Cypresses and palm trees grow here, two Mediterranean fig trees contribute to the Mediterranean flair, sculptures and large Italian vases decorate lawns and paths – even a banana tree spreads its wide leaves. "Everything grows here," says Listmann. It is the mild and, above all, dry climate of Rheinhessen that allows the exotic plants to thrive just as much as the wine in the vineyards around the village.

It was in 1853 when the first Listmann appeared in Dorn-Dürkheim to grow grapes here and turn them into the light, delicately fruity wines for which they are famous today in southern Rheinhessen. Dorn-Dürkheim is a wine village with a dozen or so wineries in a very small area, just beyond the edge of the Rhine Valley. The Listmanns cultivate 30 hectares of vineyards. Together with his sons Welf and Leif, Eckhard Listmann produces mineral-elegant Burgundy, Muscat, and, of course, Riesling wines here.

In 2003, they planted their first Cabernet Sauvignon, and today a red wine cuvée made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir bears the name "1853." "The climate here favors these grape varieties," says Leif. And yes, climate change is contributing to these southern wine varieties producing rich and fruity wines here as well. In 2013, Leif spent nine weeks in New Zealand, tasting his way across the South and North Islands, returning with a nose for Sauvignon Blanc.

In 2003, the Listmanns decided to say goodbye to farming sugar beets and wheat and focus entirely on viticulture. Times were tough for traditional farming, but the outlook for viticulture was good. "You had to move with the times," says Eckhard Listmann, "I saw more opportunities in viticulture." Today, their best-selling wine is a Blanc de Noir made from Merlot, and customers are often queuing up for the light rosé wine, which is made from the first pressing of the juice.

Leif points to an enchanting, romantic seating area in front of the old field barn. Inside, the barn now houses a modern, cozy wine tavern where they serve Mediterranean antipasti or young bull roast beef in brandy and pepper sauce.

From the terrace, the view naturally extends to the garden with its boxwood circle and yew tree in the center. Today, the three-tiered tree is the trademark of the Listmann Winery. If there was ever a winery for which the Best of Wine Tourism Award in the category of Architecture, Parks, and Gardens was invented, it was for this place.

Behind the main house is a glass and steel tea pavilion, the Listmann family's personal refuge, a retreat surrounded by exotic plants, like a vacation away from home. Every morning, Eckhard Listmann takes a walk through his garden, looking for new ideas that are yet to come. "It's not finished yet," he says.