Rheingau Wine (266)

Beautiful, Small Pearl: the Rheingau

The saying "small but mighty" could not be more fitting for the wine region of Rheingau. In addition to numerous classic wineries, there are castles and fortresses, monasteries, and churches, which in turn are also wineries. The impressive hills provide a firm foothold for grapevines and deciduous trees, such as the common robin (Tree of the Year 2020 in Germany). 

In summer, the entire wine-growing region is green, full of life, freshness, and lively wine festivals. The Riesling from the Rheingau has an excellent reputation worldwide. Although this beautiful, small pearl, with its approximately 3000 hectares of vineyard area, is one of the smallest wine regions in Germany, it is home to the largest winery in Germany. The Eberbach Monastery and Winery has been making history since 1136 and occasionally serves as the backdrop for famous stories.

Eberbach Winery in the Rheingau

The Eberbach Winery and Monastery in the Rheingau wine region is undoubtedly the largest winery in Germany. It covers just over 250 hectares of cultivation area for various grape varieties. The rooms of the historic monastery are used today, among other things, as a wine shop, monastery store, conference center, hotel, registry office, or film set. Primarily, the Riesling grape variety can be found on the extensive vineyard areas. The quality Riesling wine from Eberbach Winery is produced either dry or off-dry. The fruity bouquet of this grape variety exudes a pleasant and youthful aroma. Additionally, there are certainly other white wine varieties that come from Eberbach Winery. Gray Burgundy or Pinot Blanc comes from the Hessian Bergstraße, where the monastery has additional vineyard areas. They add diversity to the monastery's wine from the Rheingau with their partly nutty, partly fruity aromas of pear or honeydew melon.

The Eberbach Winery produces red wines that develop an excellent spice on sunny days and warm nights. The Spätburgunder from the Assmanshäuser Höllenberg in the Rheingau has been cultivated since the 13th century. This red wine is ruby-red and gains a smoky note from barrel aging. The terroir of slate, quartzite, and loess clays effortlessly retains heat and releases it at night to the red Spätburgunder variety. This benefits the grapes in steep locations and results in a complex structure that promises high enjoyment. Both the Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from Eberbach Winery are known for their strong bouquet. The dry red wines exude an intense aroma. The tannins present make the red wine full-bodied. In the historic halls of the monastery, some scenes from The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco) were filmed. Whether Sean Connery, Christian Slater, and Jean-Jacques Annaud have tasted the delicious white or red wine from the monastery winery is not recorded but is very likely. If not, then they have missed out on what more than 300,000 tourists come for each year: to taste and enjoy the wine from Eberbach Winery in the Rheingau.

Vineyards in the Rheingau

The Rheingau wine region not only has delicious wine. The vineyards also often have picturesque and melodious names.

• Rosenberg
• Seligmacher
• Krone
• Kapellenberg
• Schlossberg
• Drachenstein
• Gottesacker

The Soil in the Rheingau Wine Region

The soils in the Rheingau are very diverse and give the individual grapes a charismatic flavor. The hard quartzite soils at Lorch on the Rhine have poor water retention but provide enough space for the roots of the vines to expand. The aeration of the roots is also ensured on the partially sandy and loamy soils. Although the soil is relatively low in nutrients, it is particularly characterized by its ability to absorb and retain heat. The area around Kiedrich is marked by ancient volcanic rock. The green and gray rock, which is mainly flat-shaped, is also referred to as sericitic gneiss. It is found in the high hills. Because the soil retains little heat and receives quite a bit of rain, these areas tend to be colder. Other soil types include clay marl, sandstone, phyllite, or slate.

Interesting Facts About Wine from the Rheingau

When is grape harvest in the Rheingau?

The grape harvest takes place in September and October. Some winemakers from the Rheingau region offer a tasty tasting in exchange for help with the grape harvest.

How many hours of sunshine are there in the Rheingau?

The Rheingau wine region has approximately 1600 hours of sunshine per year. The fluctuating temperatures (about 10.5°C on average) provide good conditions for the grapevines.

When do the wine festivals take place in the Rheingau?

There is hardly a month in the year without a wine festival organized by a gastronomic establishment or by winemakers from the Rheingau. However, most wine festivals take place between May and August.

Buy Wines from the Rheingau

Browse VINELLO for wines such as Riesling, Spätburgunder, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rheingau. Our service is tailored to your wishes: Our online shop has a convenient and straightforward payment system, and our shipping is fast, secure, and reliable. Make use of our customer-friendly service and find Rheingau wine for your enjoyment or as a gift for your friends.

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