Kurpfalz Weinstuben Of many wines and Palatinate hospitality

You have to admit it to the Kurpfalz Weinstuben, where there is really no doubt about the focus: excellent grape juice. Around 50 open positions can be found on the wine menu, and empty standard and magnum bottles everywhere are reminders of past feasts, celebrations and wine-filled evenings. The cosy, quaint restaurant not far from the Ku'Damm even has an extensive wine storehouse completely under the cellar.

As expected, there is a nice selection of Rieslings on the wine list that will delight us this evening, along with other whites, a few reds, all from Rheinhessen, the Moselle, Franconia and, of course, the Palatinate. Even a few natural wines have made it onto the lavish open wine list, although the focus is without question on the more traditional side. 

With so much Palatinate hospitality and tastiness, it's little wonder that the Kurpfalz Weinstuben has been around for a long time in this corner of Berlin: Bruno and Anne Müller founded the traditional house in 1935 and continued to run it until 1975. After the Second World War, the pub moved to the backyard into a private flat, which explains the winding architecture. At best, this adds to the homely atmosphere of a Palatinate inn, which must have appealed to many big names at the time, such as Hans Albers, Hildegard Knef, Curd Jürgens and Harald Juhnke.

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In 1975, the Hamburg restaurateur Rainer P. S. Schulz took over the management until he passed the Kurpfalz Weinstuben on to Vincenzo Berényi, a trained sommelier and thoroughbred restaurateur, in 2015. Since 2016, he has been supported by the experienced chef Sebastian Schmidt. It is also worth mentioning the charming, wonderfully secluded terrace, which in summer reliably disguises the fact that you are not far from Adenauer Platz and not in a tranquil Palatinate village.

It's the Riesling that we're really into this evening, and so we place ourselves in the knowing hands of the highly knowledgeable and charming service: We start with the Ürziger Würzgarten from the Erbes winery on the Moselle, continue with the Rüdesheim Estate Riesling from the Rheingau, until we finally enter the Palatinate oenologically with a Riesling from the Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker (oh, that name!). 

In addition, we feast on more traditional and modern dishes because that is what the Kurpfalz Weinstuben does well: traditional meets modern, down-to-earth German cuisine is reinterpreted here. The menu offers some lovely delicacies to go with a glass of wine, as well as Palatinate classics and a changing menu that is definitely up to date.

We opt for a vintner's vesper with homemade sausage from farmer Fink, delicious pickled vegetables, horseradish and country bread, plus half a dozen vineyard snails (simply perfect with a glass of wine!). Ceviche of scallop and mahi mahi, on the other hand, served with corn salad and polenta sepia cream, not only reads modern, it looks and tastes great. We are particularly impressed by the high quality of the fish. The wines taste wonderful with everything. 

After some waiting time, which we take advantage of to taste the wine, another classic arrives: Pfälzer Blatt with bratwurst, liver and, of course, the must: Saumagen. The following name is also picked up here more often, and perhaps we just have to use this cliché a little: Helmut Kohl would be proud. Although the bratwurst is a bit dry for our taste, the fluffy liver dumpling and the delicious Saumagen make up for it. This is served with traditional Riesling cabbage and kapü.

An outstanding, somewhat herbaceous droplet of, well, Riesling to go with it. Yes, I like that. And so you are a little surprised when wine-blissed and looking for your way out late, you suddenly find yourself almost at the Ku'damm and not in the middle of a Palatinate vineyard. 

Ronja C. Kolls

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