Rheinhessen

The wine-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 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. Nierstein is home to Germany's oldest vineyard, the Glöck site, which 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. Sheltered by 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 areas and one of the driest in Central Europe. Except in the southwest, annual precipitation averages only 550 millimetres. However, the loess cover, which is up to 15 metres deep in many areas, and the marl and clay soils prevent drought damage through good water management.

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 practise viticulture on their own parcels. 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 north-west, named after the town of Bingen is divided into 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, Goldstückchen, Leckerberg
• Aspisheim: Johannisberg, Sonnenberg
• Badenheim: Galgenberg, Römerberg
• Bermersheim vor der Höhe: Hildegardisberg, Klosterberg
• Biebelsheim: Honigberg, Kieselberg
• Bingen: Bubenstück, Honigberg, Kapellenberg, Kirchberg, Klosterweg, Mainzerweg, Osterberg, Palmenstein, Pfarrgarten, Rosengarten, Scharlachberg, Schelmenstück, Schloßberg-Schwätzerchen, Schwarzenberg
• Bornheim: Hähnchen, Hütte Terrassen, Kirchenstück, Schönberg
• Bubenheim: Honigberg, Kallenberg
• Büdesheim: Bubenstück, Osterberg, Scharlachberg, Schloßberg-Schwätzerchen, Schwarzenberg
• Dromersheim: Honigberg, Klosterweg, Mainzerweg - see also under Eiswein
• Eckelsheim: Donkey Hill, Kirchberg, Sonnenköpfchen
• 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: Goldberg
• 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
• Eugenheim: Goldberg, Hasensprung, Heiligenhäuschen, Sankt Georgenberg
• Neu-Bamberg: Eichelberg, Heerkretz, Kirschwingert, Kletterberg
• Nieder-Hilbersheim: Honigberg, Steinacker
• Ockenheim: Hockenmühle, Klosterweg, Kreuz, Laberstall, St. Jakobsberg, Schönhölle
• Pleitersheim: Sternberg
• Sankt Johann: Geyersberg, monastery garden, Steinberg
• Schwabenheim: Klostergarten, Schlossberg, Sonnenberg
• Siefersheim: Golden Horn, Heerkretz, Höllberg, Martinsberg
• Sprendlingen: Hölle, Honigberg, Klostergarten, Sonnenberg, Wißberg
• Uffhofen: La Roche, Pfaffenberg
• Vendersheim: Sonnenberg
• Wendelsheim: Heiligenpfad, Steigerberg
• Wolfsheim: Götzenborn, Osterberg, Sankt Kathrin
• Wörrstadt: Kachelberg, Rheingrafenberg
• Zotzenheim: Johannisberg, monastery garden

The area to the northeast Nierstein reaches as far as the Roman city of Mainz, founded as early as 38 BC. The centre is the so-called Rhine front from Nackenheim to Schwabsburg. Here, on the famous Rote Hang (Red Slope ), are the most impressive and best steep slopes in Rheinhessen with the red slate soils (Rotliegend) that give the area its name. 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: Fischerpfad, Early Mass, Goldberg, Römerberg, Sonnenberg
• Bechtolsheim: Homberg, Klosterberg, Sonnenberg, Wingertstor
• Biebelnheim: Pilgrims' Stone, Rosenberg
• Bodenheim: Burgweg, Ebersberg, Heitersbrünnchen, Hoch, Kapelle, Kreuzberg, Leidhecke, Mönchspfad, Reichsritterstift, Silberberg, Westrum
• Dalheim: Altdörr, Kranzberg, Steinberg
• Dexheim: Doctor
• Dienheim: Falkenberg, Höhlchen, Kreuz, Paterhof, Castle, Siliusbrunnen, Tafelstein
• Dolgesheim: Kreuzberg, shooting hut
• Dorn-Dürkheim: Hasensprung, Römerberg
• Ebersheim: Hüttberg, Sand, Wine cellar
• Eimsheim: Hexelberg, Römerschanze, Sonnenhang
• Elsheim: Flower, Bockstein, little temple
• Essenheim: Römerberg, Devil's Path
• Framersheim: Hornberg, Kreuzweg, Zechberg
• Friesenheim: Altdörr, mountain path, Knopf
• Gau-Bischofsheim: Glockenberg, Herrnberg, Kellersberg, Pfaffenweg
• Gau-Odernheim: Fuchsloch, Herrgottspfad, Ölberg, Vogelsang
• Gimbsheim: Frauenthal, Sonnenweg
• Guntersblum: Authental, Bornpfad, Eiserne Hand, Himmelthal, Kreuzkapelle, Sankt Julianenbrunnen, Sonnenberg, Sonnenhang, Steig-Terrassen, Steinberg
• Hahnheim: Knopf, Moosberg
• Harxheim: Börnchen, Lieth, Schlossberg
• Hillesheim: Altenberg, Sonnheil
• 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 Hill, Sun Slope
• Selzen: Gottesgarten, Osterberg, Rheinpforte
• Stadecken-Elsheim: Flower, Bockstein, Lenchen, Spitzberg, Tempelchen
• Uelversheim: Aulenberg, Castle, Tafelstein
• 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: Hasenlauf, Rope Course
• Dalsheim: Bürgel, Hubacker, Sauloch, Steig
• Dintesheim: Rock
• Dittelsheim: Geiersberg, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Mönchhube, Pfaffenmütze
• Dittelsheim-Heßloch: Noble vineyards, Geiersberg, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Liebfrauenberg, Mönchhube, Mondschein, Pfaffenmütze
• Erbes-Büdesheim: Geisterberg, Vogelsang
• Esselborn: Goldberg
• Flomborn: Fire Mountain, Gold Mountain
• Flörsheim-Dalsheim: Bürgel, Frauenberg, Goldberg, Hubacker, Sauloch
• Frettenheim: Heil
• Gundersheim: Höllenbrand, Königsstuhl
• Gundheim: Hunger Bee, Almond Well, Sun Mountain
• Heimersheim: Rotenfels, Sun Mountain
• Heppenheim: Ape Mountain, Snail Mountain
• Herrnsheim: Lerchelsberg, Rheinberg, Römersteg, Sankt Annaberg, Castle
• Hohen-Sülzen: Church piece, Sun mountain
• Kriegsheim: Rose garden
• Leiselheim: Hochberg, Nonnenwingert
• Mölsheim: Silberberg, Zellerweg at the Black Lord's Gate
• 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, Sankt Georgenberg
• Schafhausen: Pfaffenhalde
• Wahlheim: Schelmen
• Weinheim: Heiliger Blutberg, Hölle, Kapellenberg, Kirchenstück, Mandelberg
• Westhofen: Aulerde, Benn, Brunnenhäuschen, Kirchspiel, Morstein, Rotenstein, Steingrube
• Wies-Oppenheim: At the holy cottage
• Worms: Affenberg, Am heiligen Häuschen, Burgweg, Goldberg, Klausenberg, Kreuzblick, Lerchelsberg, Liebfrauenstift-Kirchenstück, Nonnenwingert, Remeyerhof, Rheinberg, Römersteg, Sankt Annaberg, Schneckenberg, St. Cyriakusstift

Vineyard list

From the beginning of the 1960s, many new varieties were cultivated, especially in Rheinhessen, and by 1980 they had reached a share of 40%. 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):

Producers

Well-known producers are Bacchushof, Battenfeld-Spanier, Becker Georg Jakob, Becker Gernot, Becker Landgraf, Becker Marco, Bernhard Jörg, Bernhard-Räder, 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 und 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 winegrowers' association is Message in a Bottle.