📍 Rheinhessen

Rheinhessen is the largest wine region in Germany: its vineyards cover about a quarter of all vineyards in the country. It lies in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in a great bend of the Rhine between the cities of Mainz, Worms and Bingen. The landscape is one of gentle hills, which is why the area is sometimes called the land of a thousand hills.

The region is famous for variety: many grapes grow here. The main whites are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Kerner, Scheurebe and Bacchus; reds include Dornfelder, Portugieser and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). Soils can be limestone, clay or red sandstone. One of the best sites is the Nierstein slopes right by the river, known for Rieslings.

The region includes the districts of Bingen, Nierstein and Wonnegau. It was once known for mass-market sweet wine, but today many young winemakers make dry, concentrated wines of high quality.

Rheinhessen is part of German winemaking. Pfalz lies to the south and Nahe to the west. Dry Rieslings and Silvaner suit fish, pork and cheese, and Silvaner also goes with spring asparagus. The name Rheinhessen on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.