Palatinate: Wine diversity made in Germany

If Germany had a wine-loving innovation laboratory, it would be the Palatinate. In no other German wine-growing region is there such a spirit of optimism, enthusiasm for experimentation and openness to new things as in the Palatinate. But tradition is never forgotten. And this goes back to the Romans, who were already cultivating wine in the Palatinate. However, wine-growing only really took off at the end of the 18th century, when young winemaker Andreas Jordan decided that he wanted to produce real quality wines to keep up with the wines from the Rheingau.

Palatinate wine is making a career

While the Rheingau was already a wine star, the prestige of the Palatinate was rather stagnant. Jordan was the first winemaker to stop planting vines in mixed sets and instead separate them from one another. He created slopes so that the vines got more sun and ensured drainage in the soil. And: He brought Riesling to the Palatinate. He was also the first to write the location on the label. As a kind of guarantee of quality. The success that followed proved him right. Andreas Jordan thus established the fame of Palatinate wine, which has lost none of its shine even today. Palatinate wines promise juicy fruit and enormous drinking flow - without neglecting quality.

Riesling is still the big star. But the Palatinate now also shines with many other grape varieties. Some of them are even still being grown experimentally. Because Palatinate winemakers like to try new things. To give you a better idea of ​​the Palatinate wines, let's first look at the geography and climate before we turn to the most famous locations and wines.

Palatinate wine: geography and climate

With 23,698 hectares of vineyards, the Palatinate is the second largest wine-growing region in Germany. It stretches 85 kilometers like a wide ribbon from Worms to the French border. The Palatinate can be divided into two areas: the Middle Haardt-German Wine Route and the Southern Wine Route. With almost 2,000 hours of sunshine, the Palatinate is one of the sunniest regions in Germany. Only the Palatinate Forest with its Haardt Mountains protects the vines somewhat. Or rather, provides ideal conditions for demanding grape varieties.

Alongside Baden, the Palatinate is now considered one of the warmest wine-growing regions in Germany. The climate is temperate continental - with small warmer bouts. There are usually at least 40 days in summer when the temperature climbs above 25 °C. Ideal for obtaining physiologically fully ripe grapes. This is exactly the reason why Palatinate wines are generally so juicy and fruity. Of course, there are always big differences, not least due to the individual vineyards. This is precisely why we are looking at the most famous ones from north to south.

Palatinate wine: Good to know

Important locations for Palatinate wine

Since the styles of Palatinate wines have a common denominator in their life-affirming fruitiness, but are otherwise completely different, we will refrain from classifying them based on wine color at this point. What plays a decisive role in the Palatinate, however, are the 323 individual sites with their very different soils, which in most cases shape the character of the wines. We will briefly explain the best-known and most important sites here, traveling from north to south.

Laumersheimer Kirschgarten

The 48-hectare cherry orchard, which faces south-east, begins right on the outskirts of Laumersheim and extends up into cooler areas at around 140 metres above sea level. The slope has a gradient of 15%. Riesling, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc are mainly grown here. The topsoil consists of limestone gravel and is interspersed with loess clay. Beneath this is deep limestone, which gives the wines a fine minerality and elegance.

Kallstadter Saumagen

Riesling and Pinot Noir dominate the 33-hectare Saumagen in Kallstadt. The site is located directly at the foot of the Haardt at an altitude of between 160 and 200 meters. The Saumagen has a slope of 5 to 20%. The soil is characterized by loess loam and lime marl. What is special about it: there are many small limestones in the marl. This mixture ensures that the soil is very permeable, so that there is no waterlogging. Ideal especially for Pinot Noir.

Forster Pechstein

One of the great Riesling sites in the Palatinate is the Pechstein in Forst an der Weinstraße. Basalt rubble, weathered red sandstone, loam and fine clay particles characterize the soil on almost 18.5 hectares. The slope is quite low at 6 to 10%, but the basalt soil, which stores heat very well, makes up for this. The large amount of volcanic rock in the soil ensures strong character and highly individual Rieslings.

Forster Jesuitengarten

The Jesuitengarten in Forst an der Weinstraße covers just 6.85 hectares. The second of four legendary locations in the town is highly valued for its high mineral content, which can be found in sandy clay with lime, sandy loam with limestone rubble, but above all in the weathered basalt. The east-facing location heats up very quickly in the morning, which makes for Palatinate wines that are as intense as they are strong in character. Riesling is the only grape variety here.

Forster Kirchenstück

Only Riesling is grown on the three hectares that make up the Kirchstück in Forst an der Weinstraße. Here, too, there is a lot of basalt in the soil. But also sandy clay, clay marl, loam and limestone gravel. What is special here, however, is the unique microclimate. Since the Kirchstück is surrounded by a knee-high sandstone wall, it is a clos. The heat stored by the wall is released to the vines at night. In addition, a dry and warm wind blows through the rows of vines in the evening. The wines produced here are characterized by a complex and deep minerality.

Forster Ungeheuer

The German Chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck (1815 to 1898) said after enjoying a Riesling from the Ungeheuer vineyard: "This Ungeheuer tastes tremendous to me." This bon mot is still valid today, because Rieslings that come from this 35-hectare vineyard shine with a fine complexity and wonderful minerality. Of course, basalt can also be found in the soil here - as well as sandy clay and loam, and in places limestone rubble. The Ungeheuer vineyard faces east and southeast with a slope of up to 30%.

Birkweiler Kastanienbusch

The Kastanienbusch site owes its name to the many chestnut trees on the Hohenberg, at the foot of which it nestles with its 29 hectares. The site reaches an altitude of up to 300 meters and is sheltered from the wind in a valley basin. This causes the Rotliegend and the very iron-rich slate soil to heat up very strongly. Weathered red sandstone and lime complete the terroir. Due to the altitude, the temperature drops at night, which means that the Riesling grapes retain their freshness.

Birkweiler Mandelberg

The 14-hectare Mandelberg is entirely dedicated to the Pinot Blanc grape variety. A rarity, even for the Palatinate. The soil is made up of shell limestone with loam and clay marl. The Mandelberg is also interspersed with white limestone, which stores heat during the day and releases it again at night. This extends the ripening time of the grapes, which leads to more depth and complexity in these Palatinate wines.

Ilbesheimer Kalmit

On the southern slope of the Kleiner Kalmit hill is the 18-hectare vineyard classified as a Große Lage, where mainly Pinot Noir, but also Riesling and Pinot Blanc thrive. Tertiary limestone, marl, loess and slope clay characterize the soil here. The Palatinate wines produced here are as lush as they are elegant - and very impressive.

Palatinate wines in detail

Palatinate: Wine as an economic factor

Palatinate wines are not only popular in Germany because of their fruitiness. An international style dominates, especially in the Burgundy varieties and in blue grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Merlot, which makes the wines ideal for export. Although the Palatinate became famous with Riesling, there is currently a shift in favor of red wines. In addition to Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc are particularly promising.

The Palatinate is also an epicenter for oenotourism in Germany. The 130 wine-growing communities attract thousands of tourists from Germany and abroad every year. In addition, the German Wine Route, the country's most famous wine route, runs through the Palatinate, and the largest wine festival in the world also takes place in Bad Dürckheim. This makes the Palatinate a guarantee of superlatives in many respects.

Your selling points for Palatinate wines

• Large selection of different grape varieties and production methods
• Wines in every price segment, so that many different customers can be specifically addressed
• German classics such as Riesling alongside German exotics such as Syrah
• Many well-known wineries and locations
• Wide range: juicy, fruity everyday wines and mineral-noble grand crus