Rheinhessen

The wine-growing area is located in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany and is named after the region. The name is derived from its 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 wine-growing region in Germany in terms of area. The vineyards are located on the left bank of the Rhine between Bingen, Mainz and Worms in the shape of a huge triangle. Many artefacts provide evidence of ancient viticulture, such as a Roman water pipe in Ingelheim.

The municipality of Nierstein is home to one of the oldest vineyards in Germany, Glöck, which was first mentioned in a document in 742. Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) had a palace there and, according to legend, discovered the excellent suitability for vineyards while travelling along the Rhine. He promoted viticulture here by clearing forests in the Rhine plain and planting vineyards instead. The variety 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 ideal. Under the protection of the Odenwald and Taunus mountains, average temperatures range from 9.4 (Alzey) to 10.4 °Celsius (Worms). With 1,600 hours of sunshine a year, this region with low rainfall, warm summers and mild winters is one of the warmest German wine-growing regions and one of the driest areas in Central Europe. With the exception of the south-west, the average annual rainfall is 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 thanks to a good water balance.

Areas, municipalities 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 cultivate vines within 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 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
• BingenBubenstück, 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: Eselstreiber, Kirchberg, Sonnenköpfchen
• Ensheim: Kachelberg
• Flonheim: Binger Berg (parcels Kisselberg, Muhlenpfad, Ringelberg), Geisterberg, Klostergarten, La Roche, Pfaffenberg, Rotenpfad
• Frei-Laubersheim: Alte Römerstraße, Fels, Kirchberg, Reichskeller, Rheingrafenberg
• Fürfeld: Eichelberg, Kapellenberg, Steige
• Gau-Algesheim: Goldberg, Johannisberg, Rothenberg, St Laurenzi 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, Kletterberg
• Nieder-Hilbersheim: Honigberg, Steinacker
• Ockenheim: Hockenmühle, Klosterweg, Kreuz, Laberstall, St. Jakobsberg, Schönhölle
• Pleitersheim: Sternberg
• Sankt Johann: Geyersberg, Klostergarten, Steinberg
• Schwabenheim: Klostergarten, Schlossberg, Sonnenberg
• Siefersheim: Goldenes 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, Klostergarten

The area to the north-east Nierstein extends as far as the Roman city of Mainz, which was founded in 38 BC. The centre is the Rhine front from Nackenheim to Schwabsburg. The most impressive steep slopes in Rheinhessen with the eponymous red slate soils (Rotliegend) extend along the Roter Hang. The 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, Frühmesse, Goldberg, Römerberg, Sonnenberg
• Bechtolsheim: Homberg, Klosterberg, Sonnenberg, Wingertstor
• Biebelnheim: Pilgerstein, Rosenberg
• Bodenheim: Burgweg, Ebersberg, Heitersbrünnchen, Hoch, Kapelle, Kreuzberg, Leidhecke, Mönchspfad, Reichsritterstift, Silberberg, Westrum
• Dalheim: Altdörr, Kranzberg, Steinberg
• Dexheim: Doctor
• Dienheim: Falkenberg, Höhlchen, cross, Paterhof, castle, Siliusbrunnen, Tafelstein
• Dolgesheim: Kreuzberg, Schützenhütte
• Dorn-Dürkheim: Hasensprung, Römerberg
• Ebersheim: Hüttberg, sand, wine cellar
• Eimsheim: Hexelberg, Römerschanze, Sonnenhang
• Elsheim: Blume, Bockstein, Tempelchen
• Essenheim: Römerberg, Devil's Path
• Framersheim: Hornberg, Kreuzweg, Zechberg
• Friesenheim: Altdörr, Bergpfad, 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: Honigberg, Teufelskopf
• MainzEdelmann, 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: Kapellenberg
• Oppenheim: Daubhaus, Gutleuthaus, Herrenberg, Herrengarten, Kreuz, Sackträger, Schloss, Schlossberg, Schützenhütte, Zuckerberg
• Saulheim: Haubenberg, Heiligenhaus, Hölle, Pfaffengarten, Probstey, Schlossberg
• Schornsheim: Mönchspfad, Ritterberg, Sonnenhang
• Selzen: Gottesgarten, Osterberg, Rheinpforte
• Stadecken-Elsheim: Blume, Bockstein, Lenchen, Spitzberg, Tempelchen
• Uelversheim: Aulenberg, Castle, Tafelstein
• Weinolmsheim: Hohberg, Kehr
• Wintersheim: Fraugarten
• Zornheim: Dachgewann, Guldenmorgen, Mönchbäumchen, Pilgerweg, Vogelsang

The Wonnegau region in the south around the Luther city of Worms is one of the warmest and driest areas in Germany. It is characterised by calcareous, often heavy clay soils. The area is divided into seven large 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: Rocks
• Dittelsheim: Geiersberg, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Mönchhube, Pfaffenmütze
• Dittelsheim-Heßloch: Noble vineyards, Geiersberg, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Liebfrauenberg, Mönchhube, Mondschein, Pfaffenmütze
• Erbes-Büdesheim: Geisterberg, Vogelsang
• Esselborn: Goldberg
• Flomborn: Feuerberg, Goldberg
• Flörsheim-Dalsheim: Bürgel, Frauenberg, Goldberg, Hubacker, Sauloch
• Frettenheim: Heil
• Gundersheim: Höllenbrand, Königsstuhl
• Gundheim: Hungerbiene, Mandelbrunnen, Sonnenberg
• Heimersheim: Rotenfels, Sonnenberg
• Heppenheim: Affenberg, Schneckenberg
• Herrnsheim: Lerchelsberg, Rheinberg, Römersteg, Sankt Annaberg, castle
• Hohen-Sülzen: Kirchenstück, Sonnenberg
• Kriegsheim: Rose garden
• Leiselheim: Hochberg, Nonnenwingert
• Mölsheim: Silberberg Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott
• 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: Am heiligen Häuschen
• Worms: Affenberg, Am heiligen Häuschen, Burgweg, Goldberg, Klausenberg, Kreuzblick, Lerchelsberg, Liebfrauenstift-Kirchenstück, Nonnenwingert, Remeyerhof, Rheinberg, Römersteg, Sankt Annaberg, Schneckenberg, St. Cyriakusstift

Grape variety index

From the beginning of the 1960s, many new varieties were cultivated in Rheinhessen in particular, reaching a share of 40% by 1980. However, this trend has declined again in favour of the classic grape varieties. Müller-Thurgau (the variety of the famous Liebfrauenmilch), which led the field for a long time, has been overtaken by Riesling, whose stock has increased by 22% in the last ten years. As in the other growing regions, there has been a trend towards Burgundy varieties. In addition to Riesling, the big climbers were Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The status 2018 (0 = less than 0.5 ha):

Producers

Well-known producers are AdamsWein, 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, Cisterzienser Weingut Michel, Dackermann, Dautermann, Domhof Baumann, Domtalhof, Dreissigacker, Dr. Heyden, Erbeldinger, Espenhof, Evangelische Kirche von Hessen und Nassau, Flick Winzerfamilie, Gehring Theo, Geil Helmut, Geil - Römerhof, Göhring Wilfried, Groebe Friedrich, Groh Heinrich, Gröhl, Gunderloch, Gutzler Gerhard, Gysler Alexander, Hauck Heinz-Günter, Heiligenblut, Heinz Franz-Josef, Hemer Stefan & Andreas, Hemmes Frank, Heyl zu Herrnsheim, 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, Sekthaus Raumland, Spies Uwe, Spohr, Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Oppenheim, St. Antony, Steitz Christian, Strub Walter, Turmglück, Villa Bäder, Wagner-Stempel, Walldorf-Pfaffenhof, Wechsler Katharina, Weinreich, Weitzel Eckhard, Winter Stefan and Wittmann Philipp. A well-known winegrowers' association is Message in a Bottle.