Wine from the Palatinate

The Wine Region of Pfalz 

The Prädikatsweine and Qualitätsweine from Pfalz come from wine cultivation on about 23,500 hectares of vineyard area along the southern Wine Route and Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstraße. And although the vineyards are closely lined up next to each other, the wines from Pfalz reveal a colorful diversity that can be traced back to the varied terroir. This culminates in a fine enjoyment for wine lovers and begins with the passage through the German Wine Gate, past half-timbered houses and orchards.

Wine Country Pfalz - where the wine flows

The Pfalz cultivation area stretches from Alsace to Rheinhessen, forming the second largest wine-growing region in Germany with thousands of wineries and millions of vines. However, Pfalz wines are now characterized not, as in the past, by their quantity, but by the quality that has been steadily increasing for years. The Pfalz is home to refreshing and juicy white wines as well as well-structured and fruit-forward red wines. Sparkling wines and rosé wines are also produced locally in abundance. Why not? The climate is almost Mediterranean, the soil rich in nutrients and minerals. From Haardt to Pfälzerwald, the vines find everything they need to thrive magnificently. Not least to the delight of the Pfalz residents, who celebrate their local Pfalz wine with extravagant wine festivals along the Rhine bank. 

Between Dubbeglas and Great Growths

The people of Pfalz did not come to winegrowing; winegrowing came to the people of Pfalz. Because the Pfalz residents know how to live, laugh, and celebrate - always with or because of wine. In every tavern, one drinks the zest for life from the locally typical Dubbeglas, a cup adorned with indentations that holds half a liter. This is usually filled with a refreshing wine spritzer. Particularly popular at wine festivals.

And there are plenty of those in the Pfalz. Among them is the largest wine festival in the world - the Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt. Opportunities to enjoy wine from Pfalz can be found at every corner. Even if one does not drive along the German Wine Route through the charming towns lined with half-timbered houses, one can still enjoy Pfalz wines. Together with the five other wine-growing regions Mosel, Rheinhessen, Ahr, Nahe, and Mittelrhein, Rhineland-Palatinate is responsible for the majority of German wine exports. This includes high-quality Prädikatsweine and Great Growths from the top sites of Pfalz, such as Hohenburg, Jesuitengarten, Ungeheuer, and Herrenberg.

Wineries and Pfalz Wine

The quality offensive since 1990 has borne fruit. In the past, one could experience a significant discrepancy in quality between the southern Wine Route and the Mittelhaardt. While simple drinking wines were usually produced in the south, renowned wineries in the northern part of Pfalz already brought forth Great Growths. And even though rural drinking wine is still mostly relied upon at wine festivals, the boundary has dissolved thanks to the increase in quality and innovative winemakers. Whether north or south - excellent products that are brimming with power and fruit are being created everywhere by winemakers and wineries.

Weingut Knipser

A major name from Pfalz is Knipser, and not without reason. The family-run business located in Laumersheim since 1876 not only impresses with wines of unparalleled quality but has also earned a reputation for Pfalz. In addition to classics like Riesling and Spätburgunder, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon have now also found a home in the vineyards. All produced impressively and firmly established at the top of the German wine scene - the wines from Pfalz by Knipser. 

Weingut Markus Schneider

A proof of the nearly Mediterranean climate is provided by the red wines from Markus Schneider. The Black Print or the Holy Moly Shiraz show ripe fruit with spicy notes. The increasing warmth and the soil will likely increasingly accommodate more red grape varieties in the future. Of course, the white and rosé wines from the winery in Ellerstadt are also of the same high quality as the rest of the Pfalz wines.

Weingut A. Diehl

The wines from Weingut Diehl embody the character of Pfalz. This is once again due to the warm climate, which also allows kiwis, figs, and lemons to thrive in Pfalz. This results in vibrant wine from the winery's large grape variety portfolio. Whether Dornfelder, Weißburgunder, or Huxelrebe - when something grows in the southern Pfalz, it grows exceptionally well here.

The History of Winegrowing in Pfalz

Fermented grape juice was likely already known to the Celts around 2,500 BC - though perhaps not intentionally. Grape vines were growing everywhere in Germany at that time. However, the culture of winegrowing, and the wine that comes with it, only arrived in Pfalz around 50 BC with the Romans. The conquest of Germania not only brought Roman legions to the land but also their drinking habits. 

In addition to vineyards, the first wine presses soon appeared between the Rhine and Moselle, as evidenced by the Villa rustica discovered in Ungstein in 1981, which had both a country house and a pressing facility. Roman winegrowing left behind not only ruins but also numerous terms that have become a part of our vocabulary.

Words we have from the Romans

• wine - from Latin: vinum
• winemaker - from Latin: vinitor, the grape picker
• wine cellar - from Latin: cella - the storage room
• must - from Latin: mustum, also vinum mustum - young wine 

After the Romans, it was mainly monks who busied themselves in the vineyards under Frankish rule. The Frankish rulers gifted abbeys and monasteries land, villages, and even vineyards to purify their souls from wicked deeds. 

With the regulations of Charlemagne, the first quality measures came from the highest authority; wine should be grown where grapes grow, and cleanliness should prevail in the processing. 

From 1500 onwards, a better understanding of wine emerged. The addition of sulfur made previously unstable wine more durable, revealing its characteristics more clearly. This made the grape varieties contained within more important. It was not long before the first grape variety regulation came into force in Neustadt an der Weinstraße in 1584. 

Full-bodied wine as salary

In the past, it was not uncommon to pay taxes in kind. Therefore, it was less peculiar to receive salary in kind as well. In the case of wine, however, the problem existed that the quality varied from wine to wine. To ensure consistent quality for all, various wines were combined into huge barrels forming a massive cuvée. Whether or not that tasted good is hard to determine - with a head consumption of up to 150 liters per year, it might have been secondary.

More wine, more quality, more Pfalz

From 1775 onwards, the fine nuances of winemaking were discovered. Late harvests and sparkling wines became interesting, as evidenced by the third oldest sparkling wine cellar in Bad Dürkheim. After the phylloxera disaster, which also affected Pfalz, wineries began to orient themselves in new ways. The narrow cultures with a row spacing of 1.20 meters became accessible for machinery. Plant protection products, vine pruning devices, and soil maintenance were further trends that were applied extensively. 

The last decades have been marked by sustainable cultivation and high quality. The latter can be tasted, and the former has been a characteristic of Pfalz for millennia.

Ideal Cultivation Conditions for Wine from Pfalz

The climate is restrained and mild, with low precipitation and numerous hours of sunshine. The vine stocks also benefit from the sheltered location created by the landscape of the Rhine Valley between Pfälzerwald and Haardt, thus remaining largely protected from frost or cold air intrusions. 

The soil offers a variety; sand, marl, limestone, clay, loam, and more. However, the proportions differ from place to place - not least the reason for the abundant variety of characteristics of Pfalz wines. In the southern part of Pfalz, for example, the soil is richer in clay and thus rich in nutrients. Around the Mittelhaardt, the northern part of Pfalz, the soil is much drier. As a result, water sinks quickly into depth, and the ground remains dry. This allows the soil to store more warmth, which benefits the vines. Moreover, the roots of the vine reach deep into the earth to access water, thus pumping the mineral content of the earth into the grapes. 

The Grape Varieties for Pfalz Wine

We have established that the vine stocks feel at home in Pfalz, but which grapes are still hanging on the vine?

A total of 126 different grape varieties are approved for cultivation in Pfalz; additional varieties are grown for experimental purposes. The largest share consists of white grape varieties, led by Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, and Weißburgunder. The red grape varieties are led by Dornfelder, with Portugieser, Spätburgunder, and Cabernet Sauvignon following.

Buy Pfalz Wine Online at Your Wine Retailer VINELLO

From Schweigen-Rechtenbach to Bockenheim, from Pfälzerwald to Haardt, from fresh white wines to sparkling sparkling wine - experiencing Pfalz means experiencing wine diversity. Try and enjoy the Pfalz wines on VINELLO, from historically significant wineries and experimental young winemakers. 

The second largest wine-growing region shines in all classes and proves time and again the outstanding quality of wine from Germany. Convince yourself and order exquisite wines from Pfalz affordably and comfortably in our online wine shop. We ship securely packaged wines - both climate-neutral and free of shipping costs for an order value of 120€. Additionally, we offer you numerous payment options and a direct line to our sommeliers, who will always find an answer to your wine questions.