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Rheingau
With its very long history, the Rheingau is one of the most venerable growing regions in Germany. The Rheingau is known worldwide for its excellent Rieslings, but also for outstanding Spätburgunder, such as those grown in Assmannshausen. Famous wine-growing locations include Hochheim am Main, Walluf, Eltville am Rhein, Kiedrich, Oestrich-Winkel, Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen. The Rheingau has a total of about 3100 hectares of vineyards, to which even a part is still in Frankfurt am Main (Lohrberger Hang), and extends west of the Rhine-Main area on the right side of the Rhine. Top locations are for example the Kiedricher Gräfenberg, Erbacher Marcobrunn, Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen, Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen, Oestricher Lenchen, Oestricher Doosberg, Mittelheimer St. Nikolaus, Hattenheimer Steinberg, Assmannshäuser Höllenberg, Hochheimer Hölle and the Rüdesheimer Berg with Schlossberg, Rottland and Roseneck.
Famous wineries are:
- Weingut Künstler
- Weingut Robert Weil
- Weingut J.B. Becker
- Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn
- Weingut Leitz
- Weingut Georg Breuer
- Schloss Johannisberg
- Schloss Vollrads
- Schloss Reinhartshausen
- Weingut Balthasar Ress
- Weingut August Kesseler
- Weingut von Oetinger
- Weingut Chat Sauvage
- Weingut Geheimrat J. Wegeler Gutshaus Rheingau
- Weingut Josef Spreitzer
- Weingut Langwerth von Simmern
- Staatsweingut Kloster Eberbach
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
The Mosel-Saar-Ruwer cultivation area lies along the three rivers of the same name and is located in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. A total area of about 8600 hectares is planted here.
The Moselle achieved world fame through the multitude of the partly extremely steep vineyards and the excellent Rieslings growing there. Top locations are e.g. Graacher Himmelreich, Zeltinger Himmelreich, Erdener Treppchen, Erdener Prälat, Bernkasteler Doctor, Scharzhofberg, Kanzemer Altenberg, Ockfener Bockstein, Saarburger Rausch, Ürziger Würzgarten, Wehlener Sonnenuhr. The special thing about Mosel wines is the minerality resulting from the very stony steep slopes, the filigree acidity and the very moderate alcohol levels. This interplay produces wines of great finesse, which can be found almost exclusively here all over the world. Famous wine-growing places are Wiltingen, Kanzem, Ürzig, Traben-Trarbach, Bernkastel-Kues, Neumagen-Dhron, Wehlen and Zeltingen.
Known wineries are:
- Weingut Markus Molitor
- Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken
- Weingut Van Volxem
- Weingut Egon Müller
- Weingut Dr. Loosen
- Weingut Fritz Haag
- Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein
- Weingut J. J. Prüm
- Weingut Karthäuserhof
- Weingut Maximin Grünhaus
- Weingut Peter Lauer
- Schloss Lieser
- Schloss Saarstein
- Weingut Geheimrat J. Wegeler Gutshaus Mosel
- Weingut St. Urbanshof
- Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt
- Weingut von Othegraven
- Weingut Knebel
Pfalz
The wine-growing region Pfalz is with about 23,000 hectares of vineyards the second largest wine-growing area in Germany. It is divided into the areas Mittelhaardt/Deutsche Weinstraße and Südliche Weinstraße and reaches from Kirchheim-Bolanden in the north down to Schweigen on the French border in the south. The most cultivated white grape varieties are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner. Increasing importance has recently been attached to Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. Among the red grape varieties, Dornfelder, Portugieser and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) have the largest proportions. But also here the international grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are on the advance. The best known wine-growing communities are Bad Dürkheim, Deidesheim, Forst, Ruppertsberg, Siebeldingen, Birkweiler, Schweigen, Neustadt an der Weinstraße and Gimmeldingen.
The best locations in the Palatinate are e.g. Forster Kirchenstück, Forster Ungeheuer, Forster Jesuitengarten, Forster Pechstein, Birkweiler Kastanienbusch, Deidesheimer Langenmorgen, Königsbacher Idig, Kallstadter Saumagen and Siebeldinger Im Sonnenschein.
Top wineries are e.g:
- Weingut Von Winning
- Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl
- Weingut Bassermann-Jordan
- Weingut Friedrich Becker
- Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf
- Weingut Christmann
- Weingut Knipser
- Weingut Philipp Kuhn
- Weingut Müller-Catoir
- Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz
- Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht
Franken
The Franken cultivation area is located in the northwest of the Franken region and is mainly located on the rivers Main, Wern and Fränkische Saale. There are about 6200 hectares of vineyards. The most important white grape varieties are Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Riesling, whereby here in Franconia especially the Silvaner enjoys a special reputation. Recently, the proportion of red wine (currently about 19%) has also increased, with Domina, Pinot Noir and Dornfelder playing the most important roles as grape varieties. A special feature of the wine-growing region is the bottling of local wines in so-called "Bocksbeutel", which have a bulbous bottle shape. Well-known wine-growing towns include Würzburg, Klingenberg, Bürgstadt, Retzstadt, Stetten and Escherndorf. Paradelagen in Franconia are for example Würzburger Stein, Bürgstädter Centgrafenberg, Bürgstädter Hundsrück, Escherndorfer Lump and Klingenberger Schlossberg.
Top wineries here are e.g:
- Weingut Bürgerspital zum Heiligen Geist
- Weingut Fürstlich Castell’sches Domänenamt
- Weingut Rudolf Fürst
- Weingut Juliusspital
- Weingut Rudolf May
- Weingut Horst Sauer
- Weingut Rainer Sauer
- Weingut der Stadt Klingenberg – Benedikt Baltes
- Weingut am Stein – Ludwig Knoll
- Weingut Hans Wirsching
- Weingut Zehnthof Luckert
Rheinhessen
The Rheinhessen wine-growing region is located in the triangle between Mainz, Bingen and Worms and, with approx. 26,000 hectares, offers the largest vineyard area in a wine-growing region in Germany. The most frequently cultivated grape varieties are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Pinot Gris, as well as Dornfelder and Pinot Noir. The cultivation of white wines is clearly predominant here (71%). Examples of wine-growing locations are Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Nierstein, Hohen-Sülzen, Westhofen, Oppenheim, Ingelheim am Rhein and Bingen.
Outstanding locations in Rheinhessen are e.g. Westhofener Morstein, Westhofener Aulerde, Westhofener Kirchspiel, Dalsheimer Hubacker, as well as Hipping, Pettenthal, Orbel and Ölberg am Roten Hang in Nierstein. A peculiarity here is the "Rote Hang" (Red Slope), which has its name from the very red (ferruginous) earth, which is not to be found anywhere else in the area.
Top companies are for example:
- Weingut Klaus-Peter Keller
- Weingut Wittmann
- Weingut Battenfeld Spanier
- Weingut Kühling-Gillot
- Weingut St. Antony
- Weingut Gunderloch
- Weingut Wagner-Stempel
Baden
The Baden wine-growing region is a long strip that begins in Tauberfranken near Tauberbischofsheim and runs southwest down to Markgräfler Land and the Swiss border near Basel. Wine growing on the German side of Lake Constance is also part of the Baden winegrowing region. Baden has a total area of about 16,000 hectares and is the warmest wine-growing region in Germany. The most popular grape varieties are Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Regent, Schwarzriesling and Dornfelder for red wines and Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gutedel and Müller-Thurgau for white wines.
Top vineyards are e.g. Ihringer Winklerberg, Achkarrer Schlossberg, Oberrotweiler Kirchberg, Oberrotweiler Henkenberg, Malterdinger Bienenberg and Bombacher Sommerhalde.
Top producers are, for example:
- Weingut Dr. Heger
- Weingut Bernhard Huber
- Weingut Franz Keller
- Weingut Salwey
- Weingut Ziereisen
- Weingut Holger Koch
- Weingut Stigler
Württemberg
The wine-growing region of Württemberg extends from the lower Tauber valley via Heilbronn and Stuttgart along the Neckar to Tübingen. This area has a total vineyard area of about 11,300 hectares. Württemberg is especially known for its red wines, especially the Trollinger. Further frequently planted grape varieties are Schwarzriesling, Lemberger (also called Blaufränkisch) and Spätburgunder for the red wines and Riesling, Kerner and Müller-Thurgau for the white wines. Well-known wine-growing locations include Stetten, Fellbach, Stuttgart, Bönnigheim, Untertürkheim and Heilbronn. The best sites in Württemberg include Fellbacher Lämmler, Untertürkheimer Gips, Bönnigheimer Steingrüben, Hebsacker Berg, Stettener Pulvermächer and Stettener Mönchberg.
Leading wineries are here for example:
- Weingut Aldinger
- Weingut Beurer
- Weingut Dautel
- Weingut Jürgen Ellwanger
- Weingut Karl Haidle
- Weingut Schnaitmann
Ahr
The Ahr wine-growing region is located on the tributary of the Rhine of the same name, which flows into the Rhine near Remagen. There are about 545 hectares of vineyards along the Ahr. Characteristic are the steep vineyard slopes and the very high proportion of red grape varieties (approx. 87%). These are mainly Pinot Noir, Blue Portugieser and Frühburgunder. The white ones are mainly Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Blanc. Although the Ahr is very northern and normally no viticulture is possible in this area due to the climatic conditions, thanks to many hours of sunshine and a special microclimate, viticulture can still be practised here. Well-known wine-growing towns are Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Rech, Altenahr and Mayschoss. Top vineyards are e.g. Bad Neuenahrer Sonnenberg, Dernauer Pfarrwingert, Walporzheimer Kräuterberg, Walporzheimer Gärkammer, Ahrweiler Rosenthal, Mayschosser.
Mönchberg und Recher Herrenberg.
Top producers are among others:
Nahe
The Nahe has a total vineyard area of about 4,000 hectares and spans the area of Bingen along the Nahe river of the same name almost up to Kirn, as well as parts of the river arms Glan and Alsenz. Wine was already cultivated here in Roman times. The leading white grape varieties are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner, as well as Dornfelder and Spätburgunder for the red grape varieties. With an area share of 75% the white wine is clearly dominating. Famous wine-growing locations include Bingen, Bad Kreuznach, Bockenau, Niederhausen, Oberhausen, Schlossböckelheim and Monzingen.
Top locations on the Nahe include Norheimer Dellchen, Oberhäuser Brücke, Monzinger Halenberg, Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen, Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle, Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube, Dorsheimer Pittermännchen, Dorsheimer Goldloch and Bockenauer Felseneck.
Top vineyards are here for example: