German Wine Regions
By 2009-8-11 8:33:26
 Ahr |
Take a short journey along the Ahr river as it flows into the Rhine just south of Bonn and you will encounter the little known region of Ahr. The smallest of Germany's wine-growing regions, Ahr is known primarily for its Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), and Portugieser. Both of these are red grape varieties producing wines with light charm and racy fruitiness.
Although at present most of the wine grown here is consumed locally, there are some types which have commanded hefty price tags outside of the region. Overall the Pinot Noir wines grown here are much lighter than what one has come to expect from Burgundy or the New World.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
632 ha (ca. 1,400 acres) under vine
52% Spätburgunder
18% Portugieser
11% Müller-Thurgau
9% Riesling
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Baden |
The famed "Black Forest" region of Baden is Germany's third largest wine region and home to the Spätburgunder Weissherbst, a popular rosé wine.
The varied soil ranging from gravel, limestone, and clay, to volcanic stone and shell lime, gives rise to a multitude of flavors. Combined with the warm climate of Baden, the soil provides the wines made here with more of an international flavor than is found anywhere else in German wine producing regions. The volcanic stone in particular gives the Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), more of a full-bodied, fiery taste than can be experienced elsewhere.
An interesting note; Germany's per capita consumption of wine is 32 bottles per year whereas each citizen of Baden consumes an average of 53 bottles per year. A definite tribute to their winemakers.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
16,371 ha (ca. 36,000 acres) under vine
33% Müller-Thurgau
26% Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
9% Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
9% Gutedel
8% Riesling (Klingelberger)
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Franken (Franconia) |
The most masculine and earthy of all German wines will be found in the little known region of Franken. Home of Würzburg its principal city, and the famed vineyard, Stein, which gave rise to the generic term Steinwein, formerly used to denote all Franken wines.
The wines are traditionally bottled in a squat green flagon called a Bocksbeutel, thereby adding to its reputation as a strong masculine wine.
The prices here are traditionally quite high in comparison to other regions so one should seek out the smaller producers if one is looking for a bargain. Overall the wine produced here is unmatched in its exotic spiciness, and one would be well served to explore this region.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
6,078 ha (ca. 13,300 acres) under vine
46% Müller-Thurgau
20% Silvaner
11% Bacchus
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Hessisiche Bergstrasse |
Plan an expedition in late June or early September to the small town of Heppenheim and attend the local wine festival. Here you will experience the rich fragrant wines of the Hessische Bergstrasse region.
An exceptionally small area which nonetheless produces extraordinary wines with less acidity and maybe more finesse than those of the Rheingau. The main grape varieties here are the Riesling and the Müller-Thurgau, followed closely by the delicate Silvaner. The wines from this region are scarce, and almost without exception are consumed locally. Hence the need to travel to the wine festival. Then you will discover the refreshing, hearty, wines that the people of this region have managed to enjoy in secrecy for centuries.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
469 ha (ca. 1,030 acres) under vine
56% Riesling
15% Müller-Thurgau
10% Silvaner
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Mittelrhein |
Inside this beautiful landscape of steep terraced vineyards crowned with medieval castles and ruins you will find the quaint region of Mittelrhein.
Beginning just below Bonn and extending 60 miles south on both banks of the Rhine this area is well known for varieties that grow well on inhospitable slopes. The clayish soil yields lively wines with a pronounced acidity. The Riesling does best here, and is produced mostly for local consumption.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
662 ha (ca. 1,500 acres) under vine
75% Riesling
8% Müller-Thurgau
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Mosel |
From just south of the ancient Roman city of Trier, north to Koblenz, where it empties into the Rhine, the Mosel river snakes its way past dramatically steep, slatey slopes, some of which are Germany's most famous vineyards known for top quality Riesling wines in the world.
The wines of the Mosel and its tributaries, the Saar and the Ruwer, are richly fragrant, pale to golden in color, and light bodied with a lively, fruity, acidity. The slatey soil imparts a distinctive taste to these remarkable wines ranging from fine-fruity to earthy or "flinty", often with a hint of effervescence.
While some of the wines from the famous vineyards of the middle Mosel district can come with very high price tags, the best values are often from the upper and lower regions which lay claim to some excellent wines at fairly low prices. Lesser known vineyards other than Bernkasteler Doctor and the Wehlener Sonnenuhr offer exceptional bottles while still remaining surprisingly inexpensive.
Size and Main Grape Varieties:
12,809 ha (ca. 28,000 acres) under vine
54% Riesling
22% Müller-Thurgau
9% Elbling
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Nahe |
Germany's best kept secret both for the breathtaking landscape and for the handful of Germany's finest Riesling producers, this region offers some of the least known and therefore the country's most excellent wine values.
The varied soil ranging from sandy loam which produces wines that resemble the neighboring Rheinhessen, to the more slatey soil which brings forth the flowery bouquets reminiscent of Mosel wines, combines to create racy fruitiness with an almost spicy mineral complexity that is not to be found elsewhere in the country.
The excellent wines of this tiny region can certainly hold their own with the best of the larger and more famous vineyards.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
4,665 ha (ca.10,250 acres) under vine
26% Riesling
23% Müller-Thurgau
11% Silvaner
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Pfalz |
The Pfalz region long known for its simple inexpensive wines produced in large quantities, has recently begun a trend back towards low yielding, high quality vines.
A new generation of young, highly-educated wine growers has noticed the world's desire to experience intensely flavorful, robust wines, and therefore has reversed the trends of this region.
The Pfalz is the largest wine producing region in Germany and boasts many small producers whose commitment to quality is beginning to renew the region's reputation for producing excellent wines.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
23,804 ha (ca. 53,000 acres) under vine
21% Müller-Thurgau
21% Riesling
10% Kerner
9% Portugieser
8% Silvaner
6% Scheurebe
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Rheingau |
Take a trip back in time and visit Germany's most central wine growing region and home of some of the world's oldest wine-growing families. The region of Rheingau is one long hillside topped by the thick forests of the Taunus Hills to the north and bordered by the Rhine river to the south.
The southern-facing exposure, condensation from the river, large amount of clay in the soil, and the Mediterranean-type climate combine to produce densely rich flavors and heavy masculine wines. This is where the famous cloisters and estates cultivated and refined the noble Riesling.
The popularity of this region's wines have served to drive prices skyward, however good values are still to be found if one seeks out the smaller producers who still offer excellent wines at great values. Full bodied red wine is also made here from the Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), particularly from the steep vineyards around Assmannshausen.
Vineyard Classification
Since 1994 the Rheingau is the first German region to have a semi official vineyard classification, drawn up by the Charta organization and the VdP Rheingau. The best sites will be allowed to carry the designation ``Erstes Gewächs" (first growth). The use of this designation is optional, and the wine has to be in dry style or at least an Auslese.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
3,288 ha (ca. 7,250 acres) under vine
81% Riesling
9% Spätburgunder
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Rheinhessen |
Deep within a valley of gently rolling hills, bordered by the Nahe River and the Rhine rivers, lies the region of Rheinhessen. The largest of Germany's wine growing regions, its production is second only to that of the Pfalz.
Here in this land of varying climates and geography, many different types of grapes, both red and white varieties, are planted, producing wine that is delicately fragrant, and medium bodied. The Rheinfront or Rheinterrasse are names given to the vineyards on gentle slopes directly facing the Rhein near the town of Nierstein. Here some of the finest wines in Germany are produced, especially from the Riesling grape.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
26,372 ha (ca. 58,000 acres) under vine
23% Müller-Thurgau
13% Silvaner
9% Riesling
9% Scheurebe
8% Kerner
8% Bacchus
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Saale-Unstrut |
In the Saale/Unstrut region producers concentrate on dry, medium-bodied wines. In the warm river valleys of this region Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) varieties grow very well and are made into a soft, dry, white wine. On occasion one may encounter a Spätlese or Auslese wine, but due to climatic conditions, these are very rare indeed.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
390 ha (ca. 860 acres) under vine
37% Müller-Thurgau
28% Silvaner
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Sachsen (Saxonia) |
The cultural and historical centers of Dresden and Meissen attract many visitors to the small wine growing region of Sachsen each year. The tourists, combined with the special regional character of the wines produced here, such as the Elbtal-Sekt, serve to make the wine prices here rather high.
Most of the wine is consumed locally by the residents and visitors alike. The Sachsen specialties are wines made from the Rivaner (Müller-Thurgau), Pinot Blanc (Weissburgunder), and Traminer grapes which are made into dry wines, full of character with a fruity acidity.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
300 ha (ca. 660 acres) under vine
38% Müller-Thurgau
15% Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
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Württemberg |
The indigenous population of the region of Württemberg have long kept their wines a closely held secret. They rarely share their wines with outsiders, and prefer to consume most, if not all, of it themselves.
Still if you can manage to find yourself at one of the local wine bars you will experience strikingly fruity, distinctively earthy red wines and hearty, powerful whites. Württemberg is the largest red wine region in Germany with nearly half of the landscape planted with red wine grape varieties.
Size and Main Grape Varieties
11,204 ha (ca. 24,650 acres) under vine
Red wine grapes:
22% Trollinger
16% Schwarzriesling
6% Lemberger
White Wine grapes:
24% Riesling
9% Kerner
9% Müller-Thurgau
From www.germanwineestates.com