Wine tourism is booming. Walking through vineyards, dropping into wineries to taste their latest vintages and enjoy excellent food (typically wine growing regions are also known to be culinary hotspots) makes for a very special holiday.
Europe’s most famous regions like Bordeaux, Champagne, Tuscany and Rioja have attracted savvy visitors for a long time. But it’s been especially the new world wine regions like Napa Valley, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa that have set incredible new standards in wine tourism. It’s here where visitor numbers have skyrocketed over recent years as local wineries started to offer incredible wine experiences from food and wine pairing to vineyard and cellar tours, wine safaris, learning about wine production and blending your own wine and much more.
However, elsewhere in the world many other wine regions are catching up – and Germany is one of them.
This might sound wired since Germany has made excellent wines for a long time. But as a visitor, all you could do in the past was squeezing into small (and often more than minimalistic and cold) corners of local wineries to taste some wines. And yes, off course the landscape with rolling lush vineyards, gorgeous medieval towns and many ancient castles has always been beautiful.
If you really want to explore wine regions and have memorable wine experiences, however, there has never been a better time to explore the German wine regions than today.
Over the past decade, wineries have added tasting rooms that start to rival some of the new world wineries’ tasting rooms, including knowledgeable staff that guides you through the latest vintages and flagship wines, bespoke wine experiences like cellar tours, vineyard excursions, food and wine parings along with accommodation and excellent restaurants at many wineries.
The 13 German wine regions: The wineries and what else to do
The German wine regions are predominantly located in the southern and south-western part of Germany, all in close proximity to each other; and can be easily reached through Frankfurt airport.
Only two wine regions, Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen are located in the eastern part of Germany. They can be best reached through the city of Dresden which has good rail and road connections to the regional airport of Leipzig/Halle or Berlin (about two hours).
Germany’s wine regions are best visited from mid- to late Spring through to the end of Autumn. This is the time when local wine festivals will be held and the regions offer a large number of wine-related activities.
Ahr Valley:
The smallest of the 13 wine regions is also one of the most northerly located, just south of Bonn on the fringe of the Eifel hills. The area stretches from Altenahr, in the west, to the spa town of Bad Neuenahr.
A bit unusual for German wine regions, which are predominantly white, most Ahr wines are red, with Pinot Noir the dominant grape variety grown in the area.
The area is furthermore home to the oldest wine association in the world, founded in 1868.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut H. j. Kreuzberg, Dernau
- Weingut Erwin Riske, Dernau
- Weingut Meyer-Näkel, one of the frontrunners producing Pinot Noir
- Weingut Nelles, Ahrweiler
Wine festivals:
- Whitsun weekend (7th Sunday after Easter): Ahr wine market in Ahrweiler with the coronation of the „Queen of Ahr wines“ taking place on Whit Sunday
- 4th weekend in July: Burgundy festival , Bad Neuenahr
- 4th weekend in August: Country wine festival in Walporzheim with the vintners’ procession on Sunday and fireworks on Monday
- 2nd last weekend in September: Wine festival „Art & Wine“ in Bachem with nighttime grape harvest with 10000 lights
Things to do and see:
- Visit the oldest wine association in the world: Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoß-Altnahr
- Hike the red wine trail which leads over 35 kilometres from Bad Bodendorf to Altenahr past hilltop ruins, forests, open fields and many vineyards connecting the wine-growing towns along the route.
- Visit Saffenburg castle, dating back to the 11th century is one of the oldest castles in the Ahr valley.
Where to stay:
- Weinquartier Burggarten, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler; a small boutique hotel belonging to Weingut Burggarten
Baden:
The southernmost wine growing region in Germany boasts a sunny and warm climate. It stretches for around 400 kilometres from the town of Heidelberg down to the Swiss border and Lake Constance, making it the largest region in terms of coverage.
Baden is also called the capital of Pinot Noir; however covering such a vast area there are several sub-regions producing their own style of wines.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut Danner, Durbach: organic wine making
- Weingut Engler, Müllheim
- Weingut L. Bastian, Endingen am Kaiserstuhl
- Franz Keller, Vogtsburg-Oberbergen ; Kaiserstuhl
Wine festivals:
- Wein auf der Insel (wine on the island) taking place in September Lauffen am Neckar on the first weekend in September
- Heilbronner Weindorf (wine village) in Heilbronn during mid-September for eleven days including live music, hikes through the vineyards and city excursions
Things to do and see:
- Lake Constance
- Visit the towns of Heidelberg (incl. Heidelberg Castle), Konstanz, Baden-Baden, the small baroque village of Ettenheim or Freiburg in the Black Forest
- Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, designed by Frank Gehry
- Visit Hohenzollern Castle
Where to stay:
- Schwarzer Adler (Franz Keller winery): including a Michelin-starred bistro with a wine list of more than 2,000 bottles.
- Brenners Park Hotel, Baden-Baden
Franken (Franconia):
Located some 60 kilometres from Frankfurt on the eastern side of the Rhine, the Franken wine region stretches to the south of Würzburg. Most of the vineyards are planted on the hilly slopes lining the Main River and its tributaries.
The area is home to the oldest still exiting bottle of wine.
Speaking of wine bottles, the region was awarded a ‘region of origin’ for its unique Bocksbeutel , a wine bottle shaped like a flattened ellipsoid.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut am Stein, Würzburg – offering also beautiful guest accommodation and the acclaimed restaurant Reisers am Stein
- Weingut Rainer Sauer, Escherndorf
- Weingut Rudolf Fürst, Bürgstadt
- Weingut Matthias Hirn, offering also a guesthouse designed by acclaimed artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Wine festivals:
From early March to November, nearly every village across the Franconia wine region is hosting a wine festival. Below are just some of the larger / wider known.
- Festival der Weine (literally: festival of wines), Markt Einersheim, early July
- Summer wine time, Ipsheim in mid-May: a wine festival in the vineyards
- Wine festival Coburg, end of May
Things to see and do:
- Visit Würzburg
- Hike around the four hectar Schlossberg (castle hill) extending below Marienberg Castle which is one of the most important protected monuments in the area. You will get amazing views over Würzburg and pass the oldest still existing vines of Müller-Thurgau.
- Hike through the Odenwald forests and visit the historic villages of Miltenberg and Michelstadt.
- Visit the 600 years old Castle Mespelbrunn water castle
- Vogelsburg (Birds Castle) in Volkach-Escherndorf, dating back to 906 and overlooking the Main valley. The castle was carfully refurbished in 2011 and today hosts a restaurant offering excellent local food. During the warmer months, there is also an outside wine terrace.
Where to stay:
- Schafhof Amorbach, Amorbach (read my review of the hotel here)
- Weingut am Stein, Würzburg
- Romantikhotel Zur Schwane, Volkach
Hessische Bergstraße:
The area takes its name from an ancient Roman trade route, literally the ‘mountain route’. The area is Germany’s smallest wine-growing region, bordered by the Rhine on the west and the Oden Forest (Odenwald) on the east, and extends from Darmstadt to just north of Heidelberg.
The region is also known to be one of the earliest Spring blossoming area in Germany.
Half of grape varieties grown are Riesling.
Best wineries and wines:
Wine production in the region is largely concentrated in wine associations with only a very small number of independent wineries existing.
- Weingut Simon Bürkle, Zwingenberg
- Weingut H. Freiberger, Heppenheim
Wine festivals:
- Bergsträßer Weinmarkt (wine market), Heppenheim, over 10 days from the final weekend in June
- Benzheimer Winzerfest, Benzheim
Things to see and do:
- Visit the historic towsn of Heppenheim and Bensheim
- Hike the 7 kilometre long wine trail ‘Wein und Stein’ (wine and stones), along the route you will find lots of interesting information about wine production and sculptures also relating to wine history
Where to stay:
- Hotel Goldener Engel, Heppenheim
Middle Rhine:
Stretching for around 100 kilometres along the river Rhine from Bingen to Bonn, the area is characterized by steep, terraced vineyards, historic villages and a high number of medieval castles and monasteries. Indeed, the a 65 kilometres stretch from Bingen to Koblenz was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2002
Nearly 70% of vines grown here are Riesling.
Best wines and wineries:
- Weingut Matthias Müller, Spay
- Weingut Lanius-Knab, Oberwesel
- Weingut Ratzenberger, Bacharach
- Weingut Toni Jost, Bacharach
Wine festivals:
- Rhine in flames: which actually refers to five different events (and dates) taking place from May to September along the river Rhine. The main attraction are the big firework displays which take place along the river while at the river banks you will find many activities around local wine, with wineries and restaurants taking place in the event
Things to do and see:
- Wander around the many little towns like Bacharach, Boppard, Oberwesel, Koblenz, St. Goar and St. Goarshausen
- Hike the Rhine castles trail
- Visit the world famous Lorely cliff
- Go on a Rhine river cruise
Where to stay:
- Hotel on Castle Schönburg, Oberwesel
- Castle Reichenstein, Trechtingshausen
- Romantik Hotel Castle Rheinfels
Mosel:
The Mosel wine-growing area stretches from the city of Koblenz to the south of Trier close to the Luxemburg border and also encompasses the valleys of the Mosel tributaries Ruwer and Saar.
The region is defined by the beautiful Mosel river and boasts some of the steepest vineyards in the world.
The main grape of the area is Riesling and thanks to a good number of months with lots of sunshine means grapes grown in the area have a high level of sugar. Balanced with acidity and minerals this leads to the regions crisp style of Mosel Rieslings boasting delicious tropical fruit flavors: mango, banana, pineapple, sweet citrus and peach.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut Lehnert-Veit, Piesport
- Weingut Regnery, Klüsserath
- Weingut Leo Fuchs, Pommern
- Weingut Pauly, Lieser
Wine festivals:
- Mosel Wine Week, Cochem:
- Weinfest der Mittelmosel (wine festival of the Middle Mosel). In early September, the town of Bernkastel-Kues hosts its annual wine festival with lots of food and wine stalls, tastings and the crowing of a new wine queen
Things to do and see:
- Visit the historic town of Trier, Germany’s oldest town with the highest concentration of Roman ruins north of the Alps. There are a total of nine UNESCO World Heritage sites in Trier and its surroundings. This includes Porta Nigra, the Emperors bath (Kaisertherme) one of the largest baths of the Roman Empire and Liebfrauenkirsche, the earliest gothic church in Germany, dating back to the 13th century.
- The historic towns of Bernkastel-Kues, Cochem, Traben-Trarbach
- Wine museum at Bernkastel-Kues
- Reichsburg Castle in Cochem
Where to stay:
- Landhaus St. Urban, Naurath
- Hotel Schanz, Piesport
Nahe:
One of the smaller German wine regions, the Nahe is nestled in the Hundsrück hills between the Rhine and the Mosel valleys. The area stats just west of Mainz and ends south of Bad Kreuznach.
Despite the small size, the regions offers a huge diversity in its terroir.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut Emmerich-Koebernik, Waldböckelheim
- Weingut Poss, Windesheim
- Weinburg Dr. Crusius, Traisen
- Weingut Jakob Schneider, Niederhausen
Wine festivals:
- Bad Kreuznach wine festival, end May / early June
Things to see and do:
- Open air museums Bad Sobernheim: the 35 ha area highlights the history of wine growing from the middle ages to today, including an more than 2,000 sq m vineyard
- Visit Disibodenberg in Odernheim which claims to be the oldest site in Germany where vines are grown. Traces of Roman vines have been found on the southern slope of Disibodenberg hill and grapes have been grown continuously in the abbey vineyard since the 11th century.
Where to stay:
- Weinhotel Meisenheimer Hof, Meisenheim
Pfalz (Palatinate):
Germany’s second largest wine-growing region, the Pfalz extends from the south of Worms to the French border.
The most famous part of the area is the German Weinstrasse (wine route), the oldest wine route globally, formed in 1935. It stretches for about 80 kilometres from Schweigen-Rechtenbach close to the French border to Bockenheim.
It is one of the warmest and sunniest regions in Germany
Pfalz wines are typically bold and rich and characterized by their fruitiness.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut Fritz Walter, Niederhorbach
- Weingut Knipser, Laumersheim
- Weingut Bassermann-Jordan, Deidesheim
- Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, Deidesheim
Wine festivals:
- Wurstmarkt (sausage market) Bad Dürkheim: don’t get confused by the name, this is actually one of the biggest wine festivals in the area
- Neustadt an der Bergstraße each year crowns the German National Wine Queen during a festival held in October
Things to do and see:
- There is a huge number of small wine-growing towns all worth a visit: Bad Dürkheim, Deidesheim, Neustadt an der Weinstraße or Kallstadt are just some of them
- Visit Spyer and its large cathedral (Dom of Spyer)
- Visit Hambacher Schloss (Hambach Castle)
Where to stay:
- Hotel Ketschauer Hof, Deidesheim (read my review of the hotel here)
- Hotel Deidesheimer Hof, Deidesheim
- Weingut am Nil, Kallstadt
Rheingau:
The perhaps most famous German wine region, Rheingau is home to some of the oldest German wineries and a wine-growing history dating back to Roman times.
The Rheingau area starts just south of Wiesbaden and stretches for around 40 kilometres along the Rhine river to end just north of Bacharach.
Nearly 80% of grapes grown are Riesling while the region is also known to produce excellent Pinot Noir (locally known as Spätburgunder).
Best wineries and wines:
- Wein- und Sektgut Barth, Hattenheim
- wineries of Kloster Eberbach, Schloss Vollrads and Schloss Johannisberg
- Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich
- Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn, Oestrich-Winkel
Wine festivals:
- Rheingau Gourmet Festival: Hosted at Hotel Kronenschlösschen, this event brings together many Michelin-starred chefs and the best winemakers from around the globe each February.
- Rheingau Wine Festival, taking place over 10 days in early August in Wiesbaden
Things to do and see:
- Check out the many historic wine villages along the Rhine river: Oestrich-Winkel, Eltville, Rüdesheim and Assmanshausen
- The area boasts some of the best preserved castles, several of them still among the oldest and largest German wine estates: Kloster Eberbach, Schloss Vollrads, Schloss Johannisberg
- Niederwald war memorial
Where to stay:
- Hotel Kronenschlösschen, Eltville
- Hotel Burg Schwarzenberg (read my review of the hotel here)
Rheinhessen:
Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine-growing region, starting just south of Mainz.
Varied soils and the favourable climate make it possible to grow many grape varieties. Most of the area is rather flat farmland and vineyards are mostly nestled on gently rolling hills. The exception is the small Rhine terrace area south of Mainz which is spotting rather steep vineyards.
Rheinhessen vineyards are planted with over 70% white varietals.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut Wasem, Ingelheim
- Weingut J. Neus, Ingelheim
- Weingut Pauser, Flonheim
- Weingut Immerheiser, Schwabenheim
- Weingut Kühling Gillot, Bodenheim
Wine festivals:
- Wine Market Mainz, late August
Things to see and do:
- Visit Ingelheim, the red-wine capital of Rheinhessen with a large number of wineries
- Visit the historic cities of Mainz and Worms
Where to stay:
- Wine hotel Weingut Immerheiser
- Wine hotel Wassem, Ingelheim
Württemberg:
Germany’s premier red wine growing area with more than half of its vineyards planted with red varieties.
The region lies east of the Rhine and Baden, stretched between the Tauber Valley and the foothills of the Swabian Jura. Württemberg vineyards are located primarily along the valleys of the river Neckar and its tributaries Enz and Rems.
Best wines and wineries:
- Weingut Aldinger, Fellbach
- Weingut Jürgen Ellwanger, Winterbach
- Weingut Herzog von Württemberg, Ludwigsburg
Wine festivals:
- Stuttgarter Weindorf (wine village), last two weeks in August
What to see and do:
- Visit Stuttart, the capital of Baden Württemberg, including the Mercedes Benz and Porsche museums, Wilhelm Zoo and Botanical Gardens, the Sepulchral Chapel and the Stuttgart Palace with its beautiful Schlossplatz (castle square).
- Visit Hohenzollern Castle, perched on the top of Mount Hohenzollern, about an hour’s drive from Stuttgart
- Visit Tübingen, defined by narrow alleys and pointed gables in the old town and its nearly 30,000 students making it a highly vibrant and cosmopolitan place
- Visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber with its fairytale old town and the surrounding Tauber Valley
Where to stay:
- Hotel Eisenhut, Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Saale-Unstrut:
This area is one of the most northern traditional European wine-growing regions. Vineyards are located along the hillsides lining the Saale and Unstrut rivers between Weimer and Leipzig. It’s one of the smaller but growing German wine-growing regions.
Best wineries and wines:
- Wein- und Sektgut Hubertus Triebe, Zeitz-Würchchwitz
- Naumburger Wein und Sektmanufactur, Naumburg
- Weingut Pawis, Freyburg
Wine festivals:
- Freyburg wine festival, second week of September
Things to see and do:
- Visit Castle Neuenburg, a large medieval castle nestled on the hill above Freyburg. It is home to a museum that illuminates various aspects of medieval life. There is also a Romanesque two-storey chapel and a free-standing tower.
- Visit the town of Naumburg incl. Naumburger Cathedral, a masterpiece of medieval architecture
- Visit the Merseburger Cathedral, looking back of a 1,000 year history
- Hike or bike around Geiseltalsee
Where to stay:
- Weinberghotel Edelacker, Freyburg
Sachsen:
One of Germany’s smallest and easternmost wine-growing region, located between Dresden and Diesbar-Seusslitz in the upper Elbe Valley.
Whilst it’s often overlooked, the area actually looks back at a long history of wine production.
Best wineries and wines:
- Weingut Schuh, Sörnewitz
- Weingut Schloss Proschwitz Prince of Lippe, Zadel
- Weingut Karl Friedrich Aust, Radebeul
- Weingut Martin Schwarz, Dresden
Wine festivals:
From end of August through September, there are numerous wine-related events along the Elberadweg (the Elbe river bike route) between Dresden und Meißen including the ‘days of open wineries’, the Meißen wine festival and the Radebeuler Autumn and Wine fest.
Things to see and do:
- Visit Dresden including the Dresden Zwinger, Frauenkirsche and Semperoper (the Dresden opera).
Where to stay:
- Romantik Hotel Deutsches Haus, Pirna
- Hotel Bülow Palais, Dresden
Have you been to one or more German wine regions? Let me know about your experience!
Carrots and Tigers 