Description to Rheinhessen
The growing region is located in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany and is named after the region. The name is derived from the historical affiliation as the province of Rheinhessen of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, which existed from 1816 to 1919. The vineyards cover 26,758 hectares, making it the largest German wine-growing region in terms of area. The vineyards are located on the left bank of the Rhine knee between Bingen, Mainz and Worms in the form of a huge triangle. Many finds attest to ancient viticulture, such as a Roman water pipe in Ingelheim. In Nierstein, the oldest vineyard in Germany, the Glöck site, was mentioned in a document in 742. Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) had a palace there and, according to legend, discovered the excellent suitability for vineyards on a Rhine journey. He promoted viticulture here by clearing forests in the Rhine plain and planting vineyards instead. The Riesling (Rissling) was first mentioned here in 1546 by the botanist Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554).
Climate and soil
Due to the hilly character of the landscape, Rheinhessen is also known as the "Land of 1,000 Hills". The soils consist mainly of loess, as well as sand, marl, limestone, clay, Rotliegend, brown earth, quartzite and porphyry. The climatic conditions for viticulture are optimal. Under the protection of the Odenwald and Taunus mountains, there are mild average temperatures between 9.4 (Alzey) and 10.4 °Celsius (Worms). With 1,600 hours of sunshine per year, this low rainfall region with warm summers and mild winters is one of the warmest German growing regions as well as one of the driest areas in Central Europe. Except in the southwest, annual precipitation averages only 550 millimeters. However, the loess cover, which is up to 15 meters deep in many areas, as well as the marl and clay soils prevent drought damage due to a good water balance.
Areas, communities and locations
The vineyards on the banks of the Rhine are often referred to as the Rhine Front. Of the 136 municipalities, 120 end in "heim" and only four do not practice viticulture in their own boundaries. Rheinhessen is divided into three areas, Bingen, Nierstein and Wonnegau, with a total of 24 large vineyards and 434 individual vineyards. The area in the northwest, named after the town of Bingen is divided into the six large vineyards Abtey, Adelberg, Kaiserpfalz, Kurfürstenstück, Rheingrafenstein and Sankt Rochuskapelle. Well-known wine-growing villages with their individual vineyards are:
- Appenheim: Daubhaus, Drosselborn, Eselspfad, Hundertgulden
- Armsheim: Geiersberg, little gold piece, Leckerberg
- Aspisheim: Johannisberg, Sonnenberg
- Badenheim: Galgenberg, Römerberg
- Bermersheim vor der Höhe: Hildegardisberg, Monastery Hill
- Biebelsheim: Honigberg, Kieselberg
- Bingen: Bubenstück, Honigberg, Kapellenberg, Kirchberg, Klosterweg, Mainzerweg, Osterberg, Palmenstein, Pfarrgarten, Rosengarten, Scharlachberg, Schelmenstück, Schloßberg-Schwätzerchen, Schwarzenberg
- Bornheim: Chicken, Cottage terraces, Church piece, Schönberg
- Bubenheim: Honigberg, Kallenberg
- Büdesheim: Bubenstück, Osterberg, Scharlachberg, Schloßberg-Schwätzerchen, Schwarzenberg
- Dromersheim: Honigberg, Klosterweg, Mainzerweg - see also under Eiswein
- Eckelsheim: Donkey's Hill, Kirchberg, Sun's Head
- Ensheim: Kachelberg
- Flonheim: Binger Berg (parcels Kisselberg, Muhlenpfad, Ringelberg), Geisterberg, Klostergarten, La Roche, Pfaffenberg, Rotenpfad
- Frei-Laubersheim: Old Roman Road, Fels, Kirchberg, Reichskeller, Rheingrafenberg
- Fürfeld: Eichelberg, Kapellenberg, Steige
- Gau-Algesheim: Goldberg, Johannisberg, Rothenberg, St. Laurence Chapel, Steinert
- Gensingen: Goldberge
- Groß-Winternheim: Bockstein, Heilighäuschen, Schlossberg, Klosterbruder
- Heidesheim: Geißberg, Höllenberg, Steinacker
- Horrweiler: Gewürzgärtchen, Goldberg
- Ingelheim: Bockstein, Burgberg, Heilighäuschen, Höllenweg, Horn, Kirchenstück, Klosterbruder, Lottenstück, Pares, Rabenkopf, Rheinhöhe, Rotes Kreuz, Schlossberg, Schloss Westerhaus, Sonnenberg, Sonnenhang, Steinacker, Täuscherspfad
- Jugenheim: Goldberg, Hasensprung, Heiligenhäuschen, Sankt Georgenberg
- Neu-Bamberg: Eichelberg, Heerkretz, Kirschwingert, climbing mountain
- Nieder-Hilbersheim: Honigberg, Steinacker
- Ockenheim: Hockenmühle, Klosterweg, Cross, Laberstall, St. Jakobsberg, Schönhölle
- Pleitersheim: Sternberg
- Sankt Johann: Geyersberg, monastery garden, Steinberg
- Schwabenheim: monastery garden, castle mountain, sun mountain
- Siefersheim: Golden Horn, Heerkretz, Höllberg, Martinsberg
- Sprendlingen: Hölle, Honigberg, Klostergarten, Sonnenberg, Wißberg
- Uffhofen: La Roche, Pfaffenberg
- Vendersheim: Sonnenberg
- Wendelsheim: Heiligenpfad, Steigerberg
- Wolfsheim: Götzenborn, Osterberg, Saint Kathrin
- Wörrstadt: Kachelberg, Rheingrafenberg
- Zotzenheim: Johannisberg, monastery garden
The area to the northeast Nierstein reaches as far as the Roman city of Mainz, which was founded as early as 38 BC. The centre is the so-called Rhine front from Nackenheim to Schwabsburg. Here, the most impressive and best steep slopes of Rheinhessen with the red slate soils (Rotliegend), which give the area its name, extend along the famous Rote Hang (red slope ). The Nierstein area is divided into 11 large vineyards: Auflangen, Domherr, Gutes Domtal, Güldenmorgen, Krötenbrunnen, Petersberg, Rehbach, Rheinblick, Sankt Alban, Spiegelberg and Vogelsgärten. Well-known wine-growing villages with their individual vineyards are:
- Albig: Homberg, Hundskopf, Hammerstein Castle
- Alsheim: Fishermen's path, Early fair, Goldberg, Römerberg, Sonnenberg
- Bechtolsheim: Homberg, monastery hill, sun hill, Wingert gate
- Biebelnheim: Pilgrim's stone, Rose mountain
- Bodenheim: Burgweg, Ebersberg, Heitersbrünnchen, Hoch, Chapel, Kreuzberg, Leidhecke, Mönchspfad, Reichsritterstift, Silberberg, Westrum
- Dalheim: Altdörr, Kranzberg, Steinberg
- Dexheim: Doctor
- Dienheim: Falkenberg, Höhlchen, Cross, Paterhof, Castle, Silius fountain, Tafelstein
- Dolgesheim: Kreuzberg, shooting hut
- Dorn-Dürkheim: Hasensprung, Römerberg
- Ebersheim: Hüttberg, Sand, Wine cellar
- Eimsheim: Hexelberg, Roman hill, sun slope
- Elsheim: Flower, Bockstein, little temple
- Essenheim: Römerberg, Devil's path
- Framersheim: Hornberg, Way of the Cross, Zechberg
- Friesenheim: Altdörr, mountain path, Knopf
- Gau-Bischofsheim: Glockenberg, Herrnberg, Kellersberg, Pfaffenweg
- Gau-Odernheim: Foxhole, Lord God's path, Mount of Olives, Vogelsang
- Gimbsheim: Frauenthal, Sun path
- Guntersblum: Authental, Bornpfad, Eiserne Hand, Himmelthal, Kreuzkapelle, Sankt Julianenbrunnen, Sonnenberg, Sonnenhang, Steig-Terrassen, Steinberg
- Hahnheim: Knopf, Moosberg
- Harxheim: Börnchen, Lieth, Schlossberg
- Laubenheim: Edelmann, Johannisberg, Klosterberg
- Lörzweiler: Hohberg, Königstuhl, Ölgild
- Ludwigshöhe: Honey mountain, Devil's head
- Mainz: Edelmann, Hüttberg, Johannisberg, Kirchenstück, Klosterberg, Sand
- Mettenheim: Goldberg, Michelsberg, Schlossberg
- Mommenheim: Kloppenberg, Osterberg, Silbergrube
- Nackenheim: Engelsberg, Rothenberg, Schmittskapellchen
- NiersteinBergkirche, Bildstock, Brückchen, Brudersberg, Ebersberg, Findling, Glöck, Goldene Luft, Heiligenbaum, Hipping, Hölle, Kirchplatte, Klostergarten, Kranzberg, Ölberg, Orbel, Paterberg, Pettenthal, Pfaffenkappe, Rosenberg, Schloss Hohenrechen, Schloss Schwabsburg, Zehnmorgen
- Ober-Olm: Chapel hill
- Oppenheim: Daubhaus, Gutleuthaus, Herrenberg, Herrengarten, Kreuz, Sackträger, Schloss, Schlossberg, Schützenhütte, Zuckerberg
- Saulheim: Haubenberg, Heiligenhaus, Hölle, Pfaffengarten, Probstey, Schlossberg
- Schornsheim: Monk's path, Knight's mountain, Sun slope
- Selzen: Gottesgarten, Osterberg, Rhine Gate
- Stadecken-Elsheim: Flower, Bockstein, Lenchen, Spitzberg, Tempelchen
- Uelversheim: Aulenberg, castle, table stone
- Weinolmsheim: Hohberg, Kehr
- Wintersheim: Fraugarten
- Zornheim: Dachgewann, Guldenmorgen, Mönchbäumchen, Pilgrims' Path, Vogelsang
The Wonnegau area, located in the south around the Luther city of Worms, is one of the warmest and driest regions in Germany. Calcareous, often heavy clay soils predominate. The area is divided into seven major vineyards: Bergkloster, Burg Rodenstein, Domblick, Gotteshilfe, Liebfrauenmorgen, Pilgerpfad and Sybillenstein. Well-known wine-growing villages with their individual vineyards are:
- Abenheim: Klausenberg, Kapellenstück
- Alzey: Heiliger Blutberg, Himmelacker, Hölle, Kapellenberg, Kirchenstück, Mandelberg, Pfaffenhalde, Römerberg, Rotenfels, Sonnenberg, Wartberg
- Bechenheim: Fröhlich
- Bechtheim: Geyersberg, Hasensprung, Heiligkreuz, Rosengarten, Stein
- Bermersheim: Hare's Run, Rope Course
- Dalsheim: Bürgel, Hubacker Sauloch, Steig
- Dintesheim: Rock
- Dittelsheim: Geiersberg, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Mönchhube, Pfaffenmütze
- Dittelsheim-Heßloch: Noble vineyards, Geiersberg, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Liebfrauenberg, Mönchhube, moonlight, Pfaffenmütze
- Erbes-Büdesheim: Ghost mountain, Vogelsang
- Esselborn: Goldberg
- Flomborn: Fire mountain, Gold mountain
- Flörsheim-Dalsheim: Bürgel, Frauenberg, Goldberg, Hubacker, Sauloch
- Frettenheim: Heil
- Gundersheim: Hell fire, King's chair
- Gundheim: Hungerbiene, Almond well, Sun mountain
- Heimersheim: Rotenfels, Sun mountain
- Heppenheim: Ape mountain, Snail mountain
- Herrnsheim: Lerchelsberg, Rheinberg, Römersteg, Sankt Annaberg, Castle
- Kriegsheim: Rose garden
- Leiselheim: Hochberg, Nonnenwingert
- Mölsheim: Silberberg, Zellerweg at the Black God
- Monsheim: Rose garden, Silberberg
- Monzernheim: Goldberg, Steinböhl
- Mörstadt: Katzebuckel and Nonnenheim
- Nieder-Flörsheim: Frauenberg, Goldberg, Steig
- Offstein: Engelsberg, castle garden
- Osthofen: Goldberg, Hasenbiß, Kirchberg, Klosterberg, Leckzapfen, Liebenberg, Neuberg, Rheinberg
- Pfeddersheim: Hochberg, Kreuzblick, Saint Georgenberg
- Schafhausen: Pfaffenhalde
- Wahlheim: Schelmen
- Weinheim: Holy blood mountain, hell, chapel mountain, church piece, Mandelberg
- Westhofen: Aulerde, Benn, Brunnenhäuschen, Kirchspiel, Morstein, Rotenstein, Steingrube
- Wies-Oppenheim: At the holy little house
- Worms: Affenberg, Am heiligen Häuschen, Burgweg, Goldberg, Klausenberg, Kreuzblick, Lerchelsberg, Liebfrauenstift-Kirchenstück, Nonnenwingert, Remeyerhof, Rheinberg, Römersteg, St. Annaberg, Schneckenberg, St. Cyriakusstift
Vineyard list
From the beginning of the 1960s, many new varieties were cultivated, especially in Rheinhessen, reaching a share of 40% by 1980. However, this development has declined again in favour of the classic grape varieties. Müller-Thurgau (the variety of the famous Liebfrauenmilch), which had been in the lead for a long time, was overtaken by Riesling, whose stock has increased by 22% in the last ten years. As in the other growing regions, there was a trend towards Burgundy varieties. Besides Riesling, the big climbers were Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2018 status (0 = smaller than 0.5 ha):
| Grape variety dt. Main name |
In Germany common synonyms |
Colour | Hectare 2018 |
%- Ant |
Hectare 2009 |
| Riesling | White Riesling, Rhine Riesling | white | 4.738 | 17,7 | 3.887 |
| Müller-Thurgau | Rivaner | white | 4.187 | 15,7 | 4.340 |
| Dornfelder | - | red | 3.374 | 12,6 | 3.407 |
| Green Silvaner | Silvaner, Sylvaner | white | 2.162 | 8,1 | 2.462 |
| Ruländer | Pinot Gris, Pinot Gris | white | 1.835 | 6,9 | 1.170 |
| Pinot Noir Samtrot | Pinot Noir, Blauer S., Pinot Noir | red | 1.470 | 5,5 | 1.344 |
| White Burgundy | Pinot Blanc, Pinot Blanc | white | 1.381 | 5,2 | 913 |
| Portugieser | Blue Portugieser | red | 1.108 | 4,2 | 1.609 |
| Chardonnay | - | white | 777 | 2,9 | 429 |
| Kerner | - | white | 754 | 2,8 | 1.186 |
| Scheurebe | Seedling 88 | white | 703 | 2,6 | 911 |
| Regent | - | red | 639 | 2,4 | 767 |
| Bacchus | - | white | 490 | 1,8 | 766 |
| Sauvignon Blanc | - | white | 427 | 1,6 | 130 |
| Huxelrebe | - | white | 290 | 1,1 | 409 |
| Saint Laurent | Saint Laurent | red | 270 | 1,1 | 302 |
| Ortega | - | white | 234 | 0,9 | 347 |
| Faberrebe | - | white | 231 | 0,9 | 466 |
| Red Traminer | Traminer / Gewürztraminer | white | 201 | 0,8 | 148 |
| Merlot | - | red | 192 | 0,7 | 147 |
| Morio Muscat | Morio | white | 156 | 0,6 | 212 |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | - | red | 114 | 0,4 | 87 |
| Frühburgunder | Blue Frühburgunder, Clevner | red | 81 | 0,3 | 83 |
| Müllerrebe | Black Riesling, Pinot Meunier | red | 77 | 0,3 | 81 |
| Yellow Muscat | Muscat / Muscat Blanc | white | 61 | 0,2 | 22 |
| Cabernet Mitos | - | red | 59 | 0,2 | 62 |
| Cabernet Dorsa | - | red | 54 | 0,2 | 52 |
| Acolon | - | red | 51 | 0,2 | 54 |
| Dunkelfelder | - | red | 40 | 0,2 | 64 |
| Siegerrebe | - | white | 41 | 0,2 | 62 |
| Würzer | - | white | 34 | 0,1 | 43 |
| Johanniter | - | white | 33 | 0,1 | 23 |
| Solaris | - | white | 33 | 0,1 | 4 |
| Auxerrois | Small Heunisch | white | 30 | 0,1 | 24 |
| Reichensteiner | - | white | 23 | 0,1 | 61 |
| Cabernet Blanc | - | white | 21 | 0,1 | - |
| Phoenix | - | red | 20 | 0,1 | 20 |
| Limberger/ Lemberger | Blaufränkisch, Blue Limberger | red | 19 | 0,1 | 11 |
| Heroldrebe | - | white | 18 | 0,1 | 31 |
| Sprinkler | - | red | 13 | 0,1 | 41 |
| Optima | Optima 113 | white | 14 | 0,1 | 29 |
| Ehrenfelser | - | white | 12 | 0,1 | 26 |
| Domina | - | white | 14 | 0,1 | 19 |
| Chancellor | - | white | 14 | 0,1 | 19 |
| Dakapo | - | red | 15 | 0,1 | 15 |
| Rubinet | - | red | 15 | 0,1 | 12 |
| Syrah | Shiraz | red | 12 | 0,1 | 3 |
| Schönburger | - | white | 11 | 0,1 | 15 |
| Gold muscatel | - | white | 10 | 0,1 | - |
| Muscaris | - | white | 10 | 0,1 | - |
| Cabernet Franc | - | red | 8 | - | 1 |
| Green Veltliner | Weißgipfler | white | 8 | - | 3 |
| Jewel | - | white | 8 | - | 14 |
| Trollinger | Blue Trollinger, Schiava Grossa | red | 8 | - | 7 |
| Cabernet Dorio | - | red | 7 | - | 9 |
| Souvignier gris | - | white | 7 | - | |
| Ehrenbreitsteiner | - | white | 6 | - | 8 |
| Rieslaner | - | white | 6 | - | 5 |
| Cabernet Cubin | - | red | 5 | - | 5 |
| Neronet | - | red | 5 | - | - |
| Rondo | - | red | 5 | - | 6 |
| Saphira | - | white | 5 | - | - |
| Albalonga | - | white | 4 | - | 6 |
| Blue Silvaner | - | white | 4 | - | 1 |
| Malvasia | Frühroter Veltliner, Early Red | white | 4 | - | 4 |
| Viognier | - | white | 4 | - | - |
| Cabernet Cortis | - | red | 3 | - | 0 |
| Kernling | - | white | 3 | - | 3 |
| Muscat Ottonel | - | white | 3 | - | 3 |
| Pearl | - | white | 3 | - | 12 |
| Blue Zweigelt | Zweigelt, Rotburger | red | 2 | - | 1 |
| Pinotin | - | red | 2 | - | - |
| Rotberger | - | red | 2 | - | 3 |
| Bronner | - | white | 1 | - | 0 |
| Cabertin | - | red | 1 | - | - |
| Cover red | - | red | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Freisamer | - | white | 1 | - | 1 |
| Hibernal | - | white | 1 | - | 1 |
| Hölder | - | white | 1 | - | 2 |
| Monarch | - | red | 1 | - | - |
| Muscat Trollinger | Trollinger-Muskat | red | 1 | - | 0 |
| Palas | - | red | 1 | - | 2 |
| Prior | - | red | 1 | - | - |
| Red Muscat | Muscat | white | 1 | - | - |
| Tempranillo | - | red | 1 | - | - |
| Cabernet carbon | - | red | 0 | - | - |
| Hegel | - | red | 0 | - | 1 |
| Merzling | - | white | 0 | - | 0 |
| Nobling | - | white | 0 | - | 0 |
| Piroso | - | red | 0 | - | - |
| Staufer | - | white | 0 | - | 0 |
| White Elbling | Elbling | white | 0 | - | - |
| Arnsburger | - | white | - | - | 0 |
| Bouvier | Boulder | white | - | - | 1 |
| Dyer's Grape | Teinturier du Cher | red | - | - | 0 |
| Fontanara | - | white | - | - | 0 |
| Mariensteiner | - | white | - | - | 1 |
| Orion | - | white | - | - | 3 |
| Principal | - | white | - | - | 1 |
| Septimer | - | white | - | - | 2 |
| Silcher | - | white | - | - | 0 |
| Sirius | - | white | - | - | 0 |
| White chasselas | Chasselas, Chasselas | white | - | - | 1 |
| other white varieties | - | white | 45 | 0,2 | 39 |
| other red varieties | - | white | 18 | 0,1 | 12 |
| WHITE SORT | 19.064 | 71,02 | 18.280 | ||
| RED SORT | 7.694 | 28,8 | 8.200 | ||
| TOTAL | 26.758 | 100 | 26.480 |
Producers
Well-known producers are Bacchushof, Battenfeld-Spanier, Becker Georg Jakob, Becker Gernot, Becker Landgraf, Becker Marco, Bernhard Jörg, Bischel Hartmut, Braunewell, Brüder Dr. Becker, Bunn Lisa, Ch. W. Bernhard, Cistercian Winery Michel, Dackermann, Dautermann, Domhof Baumann, Domtalhof, Dreissigacker, Dr. Heyden, Erbeldinger, Espenhof, Protestant Church of Hesse and Nassau, Flick Winzerfamilie, Gehring Theo, Geil Helmut, Geil - Römerhof, Göhring Wilfried, Groebe Friedrich, Groh Heinrich, Gröhl, Gunderloch, Gutzler Gerhard, Gysler Alexander, Hauck Heinz-Günter, Heinz Franz-Josef, Hemer Stefan & Andreas, Hemmes Frank, Heyl zu Herrn sheim, Hiestand Erich, Hildegardishof, Hirschhof, Hofmann Jürgen, Huff-Doll, Huff Fritz Ekkehard, Jäger Armin, J. Neus, Johanninger, Julius Georg, Julius Wasem - Rodensteiner Hof, Kampf, Keller Klaus, Keth Georg Jakob & Matthias, Kissinger, Knewitz, Knobloch Klaus, Koehler Axel, Kreichgauer,
Kruger-Rumpf, Kühling-Gillot, Landgraf, Laubenstein Wilhelm, Liebfrauenstift, Louis Guntrum, Manz Erich, May Karl, Meiser Frank, Mertz, Milch Karl-Hermann, Müller Axel, Neef-Emmich, Nehrbaß, Neumer Jakob, Ökonomierat Johann Geil I. Erben, Oswald Volker, Pauser Friedrich, Peth Wolfgang & René, Pfannebecker, Posthof Doll and Göth, Prinz Salm, Racke, Raddeck Stefan, Rappenhof, Reh Kendermann, Rheinterrassenhof, Riffel, Sander, Sandwiese, Schätzel Kai, Schembs Arno, Scherner-Kleinhanß, Schloss Westerhaus, Schmitt Daniel, Schneider Georg Albrecht, Schwahn-Fehlinger, Seebrich, Seehof Ernst Fauth, Spies Uwe, Spohr, Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Oppenheim, St. Antony, Steitz Christian, Strub Walter, Villa Bäder, Wagner-Stempel, Walldorf-Pfaffenhof, Wechsler Katharina, Weinreich, Weitzel Eckhard, Winter Stefan, Wittmann Philipp and Würtz-Königsmühle. A well-known vintners' association is Message in a Bottle.
