Explore Europe Deutsche Weinstrasse Podcast Episode Show Notes In this episode of Explore Europe brought to you by Used Car Guys, I welcome a special guest, Bret Helenius, CEO of AdvantiPro - publishers of the Find-It Guide and the Kaiserslautern American - to talk about the Deutsche Weinstraße - The German Wine Road.  There is so much of it to explore and wine to sample that it can be hard to know where to start. Bret’s tips and insider knowledge are just the perfect place to start discovering this beautiful region of Germany, that is right on the doorstep of the KMC. If wine drinking isn’t your thing, there is also so much more to do. Discovering old Roman Ruins, beautiful medieval castles and long walks through the perfectly planted vineyards are all fantastic alternatives to wine tasting. Or you can do both - just like the locals! Here are the links from our Explore Europe Deutsche Weinstrasse episode:  Deutscher Weinstraße - The German Wine Road: http://www.germany.travel/en/leisure-and-recreation/scenic-routes/german-wine-route.htmlwurstmarkt Another site with some more info: http://www.germanwineroute.com Bret’s favorite local Wein Gut - Rudi Rüttiger in Neuleinigen: http://www.ruettger.de/indexen.html Bret’s best tip for an undiscovered gem Wein Gut Gaul in Anselheim: https://www.gaul-weine.de Tours of Wine Cellars Vin Winning in Deidesheim: http://www.von-winning.de/de/weingut/weingut.html Bret’s top tip for a gourmet restaurant in sneakers - L.A. Jordan at Hotel Ketschauer How in Deidesheim: https://www.ketschauer-hof.com/en/restaurant/la-jordan/ambience/ Bret’s recommendation for local Pfalzisch food- Weinhaus Henniger in Kallstadt: https://www.weinhaus-henninger.de/restaurant.html Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt - the biggest wine festival in the world - http://www.bad-duerkheim.com/duerkheimer-wurstmarkt.html A website to find all wine festivals and wine walks in the Pfalz: https://www.pfalz.de/wein-und-genuss/weinfeste-und-events# Auto-Free Sunday on the last Sunday in August: https://www.pfalz.de/erlebnistag-deutsche-weinstrasse/erlebnistag-deutsche-weinstrasse-2017   Bret' Links Bret’s media company AdvantiPro: https://www.advantipro.de Websites of all their publications… The Find-It Guide: https://www.finditguide.com The Kaiserslautern American: https://www.kaiserslauternamerican.com Herald Union: https://www.herald-union.com The Stuttgart Citizen: https://www.stuttgartcitizen.com The Ansbach Home Town Herald: https://ansbachhometownherald.com Military in Germany: https://militaryingermany.com   Podcast Conversation Timeline 00:01 - Michelle gives Bret Helenius a massive welcome to the Explore Europe Podcast 00:53 - But, what exactly is Bret doing in Germany and what does he do with his time? 2:12 - Learn all about the amazing ‘Find-It Guide’ and how it can help you settle into life overseas 3:14 - Bret explains how he balances being an American and living like a local in Germany 4:01- Michelle and Bret talk about the pros and cons of living in a non-American part of Germany 6:09 - So, what attracted Bret to the Weinstrasse? (spoiler….yes…it has to do with wine!) 8:11 - Bret gives his best recommendations for vineyards in the area 11:21 - Bret’s insider tip for a a vineyard that has won the best Pinot Noir Award! 12:08 - Find out all the best wine tours of The Weinstrasse with Bret’s hotspots 12:50 - Can you just turn up and take a tour of the vineyards? Or is it best to book in advance? 14:17 - Here we go, Explore Europe’s favorite section. It’s food time! What type of fare is on offer in the Weinstrasse? 15:49 - Bret’s insider tips for dining at the Weinstrasse 20:00 - You’ve heard of the beer festivals in Germany but what about wine festivals? Bret gives us all the lowdown on local wine festivals, including the biggest of them all! 20:28 - What NOT to wear to a wine festival in Germany 21:48 - What about local wine festivals? 22:53 - Are the festival's family-friendly? 23:46 - What about pets? Are pets we