Wine from Rheinhessen is regional diversity
The regional vineyards produce mainly white grapes, such as Riesling, Pinot Gris and Müller-Thurgau. Nevertheless, one third of the harvest in Rheinhessen is red grapes. For example in the area around Ingelheim, in the north of Rheinhessen, which offers the grape varieties Dornfelder and Pinot Noir a sun-drenched place. Here, Charlemagne is indeed responsible for the cultivation of the popular red Spätburgunder.
The other well-known red wine region from Rheinhessen is Wonnegau. At VINELLO we carry, among other things, the spicy, smoky and dry wonder Spätburgunder from the Dreissigacker winery.
But of course, white wine is particularly important for the vineyards of Rheinhessen. Especially the southern areas of the Rhine-Hessian region are leading in the vinification of enjoyable white grape varieties. This is why the multi-faceted wealth of white wines from Rhinehesse is unparalleled throughout Germany. From the blossoming in June to the grape harvest in September, spirited and aromatic wines such as Riesling, Pinot Gris or Müller-Thurgau are produced here. Riesling in particular is the face of white wine for Rheinhessen, because it is cultivated here on a large scale and matures to perfection in the late autumn sun. From Nierstein and south towards Worms, the Riesling grape variety is extremely diverse. It grows on different soils throughout Hessen. On some steep slopes near Bingen it ripens on quartzite, on limestone soils the Riesling near Appenheim develops a pleasant acidity.
What grape varieties are there in Rheinhessen?
Rheinhessen has many different grape varieties. Among them are also very sonorous white grape varieties.
● Gold Riesling
● Jewel
● Chancellor
● Pearl
● Bacchus
The red grape varieties from Rheinhessen have nothing to hide. Their names are also sometimes very sonorous.
● Regent
● Hegel
● Dominatrix
● St. Laurent
The vintners of Rheinhessen wine
The cheerful winegrowers from Rheinhessen know the right place for their vines. They know which soil is good for the grapes and offers them the nutrients that go from the roots to the fruit. Care and precision are important for winegrowers because the grape harvest is ultimately a careful manual labour. Good treatment of the grapes leads finally to the fruity, tangy quality wine, for which the winegrowers in Rheinhessen are repeatedly awarded prizes. Often the respective winery is a family business, where the knowledge of wine growing in Rheinhessen is passed on from generation to generation.
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The terroir of the Rheinhessen wine region
Soils in Rheinhessen
Rheinhessen offers the vines on the mountain slopes a versatile soil. At the same time, the soils are occasionally regionally varied, as can be seen from the subsoil of the Alsheim local community in the Alzey-Worms district. Here, there are soils known as loess pararendzina and loess colluvisol as the main soil types. However, these grape varieties also grow on gravel, sand or loam. Loess Pararendzina is an ancient, calcareous and loamy soil, which is very fertile and rich in nutrients. The grape varieties in Rheinhessen have a high growth rate on it. Loess colluvisol, on the other hand, is rich in humus and the roots of the plants in the wine-growing area can develop very well. In the municipality of Wendelsheim, also in the Alzey-Worms district, gravel sand Regosol can be found. This is a sandy soil, which is interspersed with gravel and is therefore easy to warm up. Although the gravel sand Regosol shows good conditions to store water, it is a nutrient-poor and rare soil in Rheinhessen.
The climate in Rheinhessen
The region of Rheinhessen is protected by surrounding mountains and therefore has a low average rainfall of 530mm per year and little wind. Rheinhessen has a dry climate and also many hours of sunshine. Autumn comes late and allows 280 days of vegetation - unique in German wine-growing regions. Autumn and winter are mild, so that the average annual temperature is 10.5 ºC.
Rheinhessen and Mainz have the honour
The capital of Rhineland-Palatinate and Rheinhessen are members of the exclusive network Great Wine Capitals. Ten cities and their unique regions are part of the network, in which only the best wine-growing regions worldwide are represented. In addition to the Mainz/ Rheinhessen region, there is San Francisco/ Napa Valley in the United States of America, Mendoza with the region of the same name in Argentina, Bilboa with the Rioja region in Spain and, for example, the city and region of Bordeaux in France. Rheinhessen and Mainz have been part of the merger since 2008. The respective cities and regions offer wine lovers trips where they can educate themselves. Of course, wine is also tasted during the visits. Winegrowers exchange experiences and tips in the Great Wine Capitals-network, enter into business relationships and compete against each other in different categories in the annual competition. These include among others: wine gastronomy, sustainability in wine tourism or architecture, parks and gardens. However, this is only a small selection of the major Best Of- Awards. The Hemmes winery from the Bingen-Kempten region won the 2010 Best Of Award for sustainability in wine tourism.
Buy wines from Rheinhessen online at VINELLO
In our online wine shop you will find a wide selection of wines from Rheinhessen. Browse VINELLO.de for Riesling, Müller-Thurgau or Pinot Noir from Rheinhessen. Our service is first class: Convenient payment in our shop, as well as fast and secure shipping (almost) worldwide for your enjoyment or as a gift for your friends.
