Wine from Hessian Mountain Road (3)

The Hessian Bergstraße - "Here Germany begins to become Italy"

The wonderfully mild climate between the Rhine and Odenwald prompted Emperor Joseph II to make this call when he traveled back to Vienna from his coronation in Frankfurt in 1764. Those who explore the Hessian Bergstraße and its wine culture will encounter a few large internationally renowned wineries and many winemakers producing wines for their own consumption and for sale in the region in the smallest locations.

The Wine Styles of the Hessian Bergstraße

More than four-fifths of the region's approximately 450 hectares of vineyard area are planted with white grape varieties, over half of which are Riesling. Gradually, the cultivation of red grape varieties is gaining importance. This is due to the mild weather and the rise in average annual temperatures as a result of climate change.

Climate and Soils

In the Hessian Bergstraße, spring is noticeable earlier than anywhere else in Germany, and the autumn chill takes a long time to arrive. The predominantly west-facing, partly very steep vineyards benefit from plenty of sunshine and sufficient rainfall. The Odenwald mountain ranges protect against cold easterly winds and strong temperature fluctuations.

Around the major wine towns of Heppenheim and Bensheim, fertile loess and clay soils prevail, which have a high capacity for storing water and plant nutrients. In the northern part of the region, vines grow partly on granite weathering soils with deposits of loose sand. Only resilient, strong vines bear grapes on this nutrient-poor substrate, as well as on the isolated Buntsandstein sites around Groß-Umstadt.

The Hessian Bergstraße - Wine in Numerous Variants

The protected locations and diverse soil types of the region allow for the cultivation of a wide range of grape varieties - predominantly Riesling, which occupies about 50 percent of the vineyard area. Müller-Thurgau, Grey Burgundy, and White Burgundy also thrive here. Among the red grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Saint Laurent are the most common, as well as - thanks to the rising temperatures - more and more southern European grapes like Primitivo or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Interesting Facts about the Hessian Bergstraße

How did wine come to the Hessian Bergstraße?

About 2,000 years ago, Roman settlers and merchants enjoyed the pleasantly warm climate in this region of otherwise rather cool Germania. Along the "via strata montana" (Mountain Road) between the Rhine and Odenwald, sweet chestnuts, figs, and vines flourished. The first written mention of viticulture can be found in the Lorsch Codex, a document that confirms, among other things, the donation of a vineyard to the Lorsch Abbey in the year 755.

Which is the most famous winery in the region?

Some of the best wines from the Hessian Bergstraße come from the State Winery Bergstraße. It is part of the Hessian State Wineries Kloster Eberbach, the largest winery in Germany. In the 1970s, the estate was the first cellar in the wine region to venture into the production of Trockenbeerenauslesen and ice wines. Today, especially dry Riesling, White Burgundy, and Grey Burgundy are among the top products of the State Winery Bergstraße in Kloster Eberbach.

What is special about the Heppenheimer Centgericht?

The former historical court site at Heppenheimer Landberg is considered the best location in the region (VDP Erste Lage or VDP Großes Gewächs). Since 1970, it has belonged to the Hessian State Wineries Kloster Eberbach (Domaine Bergstraße). Besides the mainly cultivated Riesling, it is also planted with Grey Burgundy, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, and Frühburgunder. An excellent wine from this site is the Heppenheimer Centgericht Grauburgunder Crescentia, which, with its crisp aromas of citrus fruits and pome fruits and earthy, mineral nuances, brings to mind a characterful Pinot Grigio from South Tyrol. The Heppenheimer Centgericht features the nearly seven-kilometer-long experience path "Wine and Stone", adorned with numerous illustrations and artworks.

Order wine from the Hessian Bergstraße online at VINELLO

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