In the Rems Valley, racing driver Bernd Mayländer now grows his own wines, reviving an old tradition of his family
Bernd Mayländer, the Formula 1 safety car driver, has discovered a new passion for himself and presented his new heart project in his homeland on Thursday. For the 50-year-old from Schorndorf is now, as he officially announced the other day, going among the vintners!
The three noble wines are called Samu Rosè, Myri Rotwein Cuvèe and Bela Blanc de Noir. The wines are named after Mayländer’s children and wife. In addition, there is a limited edition in high-quality packaging for fans and collectors, of which only 150 are sold.
The connection between fast and loud motor sports and the nature-loving hobby of wine is not obvious at first glance. But it is a tradition in Mayländer’s family. His family had a large number of vineyards in Schorndorf, where mainly Trollinger and Riesling were grown and from which many thousands of litres of red and white wine were pressed.
The viticulture was a hobby project of his grandfather and uncle, which was literally pursued with much love. However, the age of the gentlemen eventually took its toll, so that a large part of the vineyards was gradually sold off. Today, only a few are still owned by the family and leased out on a long-term basis.
What many do not know: Before his career as a racing driver, the “Mister Safety-Car” completed a classical apprenticeship as an industrial clerk, at Coca-Cola in Fellbach. He then worked for his parents’ Coca-Cola bottling company in Urbach, Swabia, and Karslruhe, Baden.
Now he is returning to his and his family’s roots and selling his own wines, which have been vinified with great care and passion in close cooperation with the region’s Young Winemaker of the Year, Daniel Kuhnle from the Kuhnle Winery in Strümpfelbach.
By the way, Mayländer is not the only racing driver who has made wine his hobby, at least as a sideline. Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli have also made a name for themselves as winemakers after their active careers.
