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Middle Rhine: Wines with character

It may be that the Middle Rhine wines play virtually no role on the international wine market due to the low production volume. Nevertheless, the wines from there are now convincing with a lot of character and even more quality. What's more, the Middle Rhine is a real paradise for wine-loving tourists. This alone makes it worth taking a closer look.

The Middle Rhine wine-growing region can look back on a long and important history that is closely interwoven with the development of German viticulture. The Romans brought viticulture to this region, with the first vineyards being planted in flat areas near the river banks. This at least is confirmed by archaeological finds in the Miesenheim district near Andernach.

The first documented mention of viticulture in this region dates back to the year 643, when Boppard was named as a Franconian royal court and administrative center of the Boppard Empire. In the centuries that followed, viticulture spread along the Rhine. Evidence of viticulture can be found for Rheinbrohl (approx. 650), Remagen (754) and Kestert (768). However, the actual development of viticulture on the Middle Rhine did not take place until the Middle Ages, starting from the Moselle and moving southwards. There is evidence of viticulture in Oberwesel from 966, in Bacharach from 1019 and in Trechtingshausen for the first time in 1135. This expansion took place in four phases from the 11th to the end of the 14th century.

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Middle Rhine: Geography and climate

The Middle Rhine wine-growing region stretches for around 110 kilometers along the Rhine, from the Nahe near Bingen to the Siebengebirge near Bonn. It covers parts of Rhineland-Palatinate and also includes some wine-growing villages in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a total vineyard area of 466 hectares, the Middle Rhine is the smallest wine-growing region in Germany.

The climate on the Middle Rhine is temperate and offers favorable conditions for viticulture. It is characterized by relatively many sunny days, without extreme heat or cold. The water surface of the Rhine and the soils sloping towards the sun store heat energy during the day, which they release again after sunset, ensuring balanced temperatures. The steep valley slopes also allow cold air to flow quickly in the morning.

The soils play a decisive role in the characteristics of the wines from the Middle Rhine. Slate and greywacke weathered soils, which store heat during the day, are predominant. In the northern part of the growing region, there are soils of volcanic origin, including pumice and tufa. There are also loess islands, loam and Rhine pebble soils. This variety of soil types contributes to the complexity and uniqueness of the Middle Rhine wines.

Middle Rhine: Good to know

 

Total vine area

Big sections

Single sections

Wine growing center

Annual production

466 hectare

10

111

Boppard

⌀ 27.000
 hectolitres

Middle Rhine and its vineyards

One of the most important vineyards on the Middle Rhine is Bopparder Hamm. At 75 hectares, it is the largest contiguous vineyard area in the Middle Rhine Valley and is also one of Germany's steepest vineyards. This steep slope offers optimal conditions for the production of high-quality wines.

Other important sites can be found in the three main areas of the growing region:
In the southern area around Bacharach and Oberwesel, in the center around the Bopparder Hamm, in the north in the area of Leutesdorf and Hammerstein. The vineyards in the Lahn Valley, particularly around Weinähr, are also important for the growing region.

Middle Rhine wines in detail

 

Grape varieties Area

Grape varieties Prestige

Climate

Climatic influences

Soils

Riesling (298 hectares), Pinot Noir (48 hectares), Pinot Blanc (23 hectares)
 

Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc

temperate-continental

Rivers (Rhine), Mountains (Siebengebirge)

Slate and graywacke

Characteristics of the Middle Rhine wines

The wines from the Middle Rhine benefit from the special geological and climatic conditions of the region. The slate soils give the wines, especially Riesling, a distinct minerality. The steep slopes ensure optimal exposure to sunlight, which leads to good ripeness of the grapes and gives the wines a pleasant fruitiness.

Riesling wines from the Middle Rhine are often characterized by their elegance, freshness and pronounced acidity. Depending on the vintage, they can range from dry to noble sweet and often develop complex aromas of peach, apricot and mineral notes as they mature.

Pinot Noirs from the Middle Rhine tend to be lighter and fruitier than those from warmer growing regions. They often show aromas of red berries and a fine acid structure.

Middle Rhine: Wine as an economic factor

Viticulture on the Middle Rhine is of great economic and cultural importance for the region, even though the area under vines has declined significantly over the last hundred years. Around 1900, there were still around 2,200 hectares planted with vines, today there are only 466 hectares. This decline is mainly due to the challenges of steep-slope viticulture. The cultivation of steep slopes is labor-intensive and costly, which has led to many of the hard-to-reach slate slopes no longer being cultivated today.

Despite these challenges, viticulture remains an important economic factor for the region. Winegrowers have concentrated on the best sites and are increasingly focusing on quality rather than quantity. Viticulture also plays an important role for tourism in the region. The picturesque Rhine Valley with its terraced vineyards, castles and palaces attracts many visitors every year. Since 2002, the Upper Middle Rhine has even been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which further increases its appeal to tourists. The establishment of the Rheinsteig, a hiking trail along the Rhine, was another important step in the development of the region as a tourist destination. Wine tastings, wine festivals and Wine tours are popular activities that attract tourists to the region and contribute to the local economy.

Despite the decline in the area under cultivation in recent decades, there are signs of stabilization since the turn of the millennium. This indicates that the efforts of winegrowers and the support of regional and national initiatives are bearing fruit.

Your selling points for Middle Rhine wines

  • Wines in every price segment, so that many different customers can be targeted with them
  • Spirited and mineral Rieslings, floral Pinot Blancs
  • Mostly excellent value for money
  • Wide range of different styles
  • Very good accompaniment to food
  • Interesting for the international wine trade because the wines can be sold well as a niche





 
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