Five wine enthusiasts stand in the middle of the wine shop at the Paulinenhof winery in Selzen, holding drawings of funny caricatures of people in their hands. "Imagine if yeast were little people—there are good yeasts and bad yeasts!" explains winemaker Tim Bernard. He studied oenology and, in just under ten minutes, explains the complex microbiological processes in the fermentation cellar in a way that even laypeople can understand.

The group of visitors arrived in stylish vintage cars, including an old Benz. Art historian Katja Campe organized the tour in the style of a real vintage car rally. Each team received a "road book" with historical maps and so-called "Chinese characters" – these provide clues about the route. The Mainz native selected the route based on scenic beauty, cultural highlights, and six interesting wineries with high-quality wines. In addition to a packed lunch, participants are also given an empty wooden wine crate: each team receives a bottle of wine from each winery as a souvenir of their visit – by the end of the rally, the crate is full. "Don't drink and drive": the wines are only tasted at home after the tour.

Tim Bernard combines his bottle of wine with a puzzle: he gives visitors a bottle of "Cuvée Terz feinherb" with "strong aromas of mango and gooseberry" to take home with them. After tasting it at home, wine lovers are asked to write to him and tell him which three grape varieties have been "blended" here.

After a light snack, we continue along the idyllic Rhine-Hessian country roads to our next wine-related stop. Heike Dettweiler from the Dätwyl Winery in Wintersheim welcomes the group in a pretty courtyard. The winery was one of the first to open its doors to visitors. Various wine experiences are offered here: concerts in the old cow chapel, wine tastings with snacks, and cellar tours. They also have three guest rooms. In the pretty wine shop in the historic fortified tower dating from 1344, the Rheinhessen native presents her cuvées: "Zeebra" is a refreshing cuvée made from Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc, while "Strauß" is an unusual combination of German Lemberger and the international Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety with berry-fruity notes. This wine also goes into the specially branded wooden box.  

More wineries with new ideas and exciting wine stories follow. The wine rally ends for participants after around six hours, with lots of new impressions and a full wine crate.

Katja Campe has been participating in classic car rallies with her husband for years. She appreciates art history, iconic old cars, and wine in equal measure. This gave her the idea of expanding her "Mainzer Kultouren" to include classic car trips to Rheinhessen wineries. The wine experience tours are mainly for genuine classic cars – but youngtimers, convertibles, classics of the future, and electric cars are also allowed. On request, Katja Campe organizes original rally signs for each vehicle and presents a commemorative trophy. And if you don't own a classic car, one will be arranged for you. A maximum of 10 teams take part in the tours. Everyone gets their money's worth with Katja Campe's "pleasure dating": the winegrowers expand their customer base and the classic car fans get to know the local region and the wineries.

The Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Award 2023 in the category "Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences" goes to "Mainzer Kultouren." The jury was thoroughly impressed by the successful combination of classic car rallies with wine and culture.