Rhine-Hesse Wine (620)

The Nature Experience in Rheinhessen's Wine

The wandering gaze from the grape-covered slopes of the largest wine-growing region in the Federal Republic reveals the mighty Rhine. Following the winding water path, flanked by mountains and castles, one immediately discovers the strength of the wine region. Much sun shines directly on the nutrient-rich vineyards and imparts to Rheinhessen wine its charismatic fruit. Carefully vinified, the often white wine from the Rhine presents itself with a lively acidity - a sparkling celebration for fine enjoyment.

Wine from Rheinhessen is Regional Diversity

The regional vineyards mainly produce white grapes, such as Riesling, Grauburgunder, and Müller-Thurgau. Nevertheless, one-third of the harvest in Rheinhessen consists of red grapes. For instance, in the area around Ingelheim, in the northern part of Rheinhessen, which offers a sunny spot for the grape varieties Dornfelder and Spätburgunder. Actually, Charlemagne is responsible for the cultivation of the popular red Spätburgunder here. 

The other well-known red wine region from Rheinhessen is Wonnegau. At VINELLO, we offer, among others, the spicy, smoky, and dry Wunderwerk Spätburgunder from the Dreissigacker winery. 

However, of course, white wine is particularly significant for the vineyards of Rheinhessen. Especially the southern areas of the Rheinhessen region are leading in the vinification of enjoyable white grape varieties. Therefore, the diversity of white wines from Rheinhessen is unmatched across Germany. From flowering in June to grape harvesting from September, spirited and aromatic wine varieties like Riesling, Grauburgunder, or Müller-Thurgau are created. Riesling, in particular, is the face of white wine for Rheinhessen because it is cultivated on a large scale here and ripens to perfection in the late autumn sun. From Nierstein and south towards Worms, the Riesling variety is immensely diverse. It grows on various soils throughout Hesse. On some steep slopes near Bingen, it ripens on quartzite, while on limestone soils near Appenheim, Riesling develops a pleasant acidity.

Which Grape Varieties are Found in Rheinhessen?

Rheinhessen features many different grape varieties. Among them are also quite melodious white grape varieties.

• Goldriesling
• Juwel
• Kanzler
• Perle
• Bacchus

The red grape varieties from Rheinhessen also deserve recognition. Their names are often quite melodious as well.

• Regent
• Hegel
• Domina
• St. Laurent

The Terroir of the Rheinhessen Wine Region

The Soils in Rheinhessen

Rheinhessen offers the wine vines on the mountain slopes a versatile soil. The soils are occasionally regionally diverse, as can be evidenced by the substrate of the Alsheim municipality in the Alzey-Worms district. Here one can find soils that are known as Löss Pararendzina and Löss Kolluvisol as the main soil types. The grape varieties, however, also grow on gravel, sand, or clay. Löss Pararendzina is an ancient, calcareous, and clayey soil that is very fertile and rich in nutrients. Here, the grape varieties in Rheinhessen exhibit high growth. Löss Kolluvisol, on the other hand, is humus-rich, allowing the roots of the plants in the wine-growing region to develop very well. In the municipality of Wendelsheim, also in the Alzey-Worms district, one can find Kiesand Regosol. This is a sandy soil interspersed with gravel, making it easy to warm up. Although Kiesand Regosol shows good conditions for water storage, it is a nutrient-poor and rare soil in Rheinhessen.

The Climate in Rheinhessen

The Rheinhessen region is protected by surrounding mountains, resulting in low precipitation of an average of 530mm per year and little wind. Rheinhessen has a dry climate and plenty of sunshine. Autumn arrives late and allows for 280 vegetation days - unique in German wine-growing regions. Autumn and winter are mild, so the average annual temperature is 10.5ºC.

Rheinhessen and Mainz Have the Honor

The capital of Rhineland-Palatinate and Rheinhessen are members of the exclusive network Great Wine Capitals. Ten cities and their unique regions are part of the alliance, where only the best wine-growing areas in the world are represented. Alongside the Mainz/Rheinhessen region, these include San Francisco/Napa Valley in the United States, Mendoza with its namesake region in Argentina, Bilbao with the Rioja region in Spain, and, for example, the city and region of Bordeaux in France. Since 2008, Rheinhessen has been part of the alliance with Mainz. Wine lovers are offered trips by the respective cities and regions where they can educate themselves. Of course, wine tasting is also part of the visits. Winemakers exchange experiences and tips in the Great Wine Capitals network, establish business connections, and compete annually in various categories against each other. These include, among others: wine gastronomy, sustainability in wine tourism, or architecture, parks, and gardens. However, this is just a small glimpse of the large Best Of awards. The Hemmes winery from the Bingen-Kempten region won the Best Of award in sustainability in wine tourism in 2010.

Purchase Wines from Rheinhessen Online at VINELLO

In our online wine shop, you will find a rich selection of wines from Rheinhessen. Browse on VINELLO.de for Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, or Spätburgunder from Rheinhessen. Our service is first-class: convenient payment in our shop, as well as fast and secure shipping (almost) worldwide for your enjoyment or as a gift for your friends. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or requests for our in-house sommeliers. You can reach us via email at [email protected], and our phone number is 0351 – 469 256 55. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram @vinello_wine. We look forward to seeing you!