Rheingau: Wine with tradition

Emperor Charlemagne (742 to 814) recognized during a trip along the Rhine that the Rheingau was ideal for wine-growing. He therefore had the first Yellow Orleans vines planted on the southern slopes below the Taunus Mountains. But the actual starting point for wine-growing was thanks to the monks. Archbishop Adalbert donated a vineyard to the Cistercians in 1134. They then founded the Eberbach monastery - and began to produce wine on a large scale.

Here, too, it was not Riesling. This only came into play in 1720. At that time, Constantin von Buttlar, Prince Abbot of the Bishopric of Fulda, had all the vines on the Johannisberg in the Rheingau, which was then managed by Benedictine monks under his aegis, torn out. The reason: he wanted only Riesling to thrive here. No sooner said than done. Constantin von Buttlar thus created the first single-varietal Riesling vineyard in the world. But that's not all!

In 1775, the Benedictine monks from Johannisberg Castle also discovered botrytis - and its effects. Well, the discovery was due to necessity. The rider with the harvest permission was late. The monks already thought their harvest was ruined because the grapes were so moldy - and then vinified what they thought was the most delicious wine in the world. This gave rise to the legend of the Spätlese rider. And Spätlese is still the heart of German quality wines today. But what is the situation in the Rheingau now? Before we examine this question in more detail, let's first look at geography and climate, both of which have a strong influence on Rheingau wines.

Rheingau wine: geography and climate

Since the Rheingau is located on the 50th parallel, the conditions for winegrowing are not ideal. Actually. Because a small peculiarity makes the growing area with its 3,2000 hectares of vineyards actually quite ideal for wine. On its journey from Lake Constance to the North Sea, the Rhine radically changes its direction of flow. At Mainz, it can no longer flow unhindered from south to north. The Taunus Mountains force it to flow from east to west for about 30 kilometers until it turns north again at Rüdesheim.

This 90-degree turn is a blessing for all local winemakers! Because there are areas to the right of the Rhine that are actually ideal for winegrowing. Because they face south. This is what makes economically viable winegrowing possible here in the first place. Otherwise it would be far too cold for wine. But this way, mild winters and hot summers alternate. Loess dominates the soils at 60%. This also explains why Rheingau wines are generally very opulent and full-bodied. But you can also find other types of soil here.

Rheingau wine: Good to know

Four terroir areas for Rheingau wine

The soils in the Rheingau can be roughly divided into four areas. In the far east around Hochheim, calcareous loam and marl soils dominate. This is where large, intense Rieslings come from. Further downstream towards the west, the vineyards differ in their location on the Rhine. In the small wine villages near the banks, the vines grow on loam, loess and clay soils. This is where the most typical Rheingau wines are produced: strong, lush wines.

Further up the slope, the soils are characterized by quartzite, which means the plants are more mineral. Under certain conditions, they can still be very full-bodied. For example, in the west near Rüdesheim and Lorch, where the steepest Rheingau locations are located, with gradients of up to 70 percent! Here, the quartzite and slate soils store the warmth of the day and release it to the vines at night. This ensures more fullness in the wine, fine fruit aromas and an enchanting minerality.

Important locations for Rheingau wine

Of course, the unique selling point of Rheingau wines is that the Riesling wines in particular are opulent, strong and full-bodied - with an intense and yellow-fruity aroma. But the closer the geographical origin, the more unique the Rheingau wines produced here. That's why we're now taking a look at the best-known locations for Rheingau wine.

Kiedricher Gräfenberg

With a gradient of up to 60%, the Gräfenberg is one of the steepest sites in the Rheingau. The Riesling vines (nothing else is grown here) have deep roots in the stony soil, which is medium to deep and is characterized by phyllite and loess clay. The latter ensures good water retention. The Rieslings here are as juicy as they are minerally elegant, with a large body and plenty of substance.

Assmannshäuser Höllenberg

Violet phyllite slate dominates the soil at Höllenberg. The vineyards are largely located on the slopes of the Eichbachtal, a side valley of the Rhine near Assmannshausen in the lower Rheingau, and are oriented towards the south and south-southeast. They lie at an altitude of 140 to 160 meters. As was the case 500 years ago, Pinot Noir is the trump card in this single location, which is very juicy yet elegant and deep.

Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg

To the west of Rüdesheim and opposite Bingen and the Mäuseturm, the Schlossberg mountain rises in the so-called "Binger Loch" on the Rhine. With a gradient of 65%, it is the steepest site in the Rheingau and has the highest sun intensity in the entire Rheingau. The soils of the approximately 25-hectare steep site consist of Taunus quartzite and phyllite slate. Riesling and Pinot Noir develop a particularly intense and opulent aroma here.

Johannisberger Schloss Johannisberg

So here we are dealing with the first pure Riesling vineyard in history. But there is another special feature: the 50th parallel runs directly through the Taunus quartzite rock above the Rhine between Oestrich-Winkel and Geisenheim. In addition to quartzite, loess also characterizes the soil. This is precisely why the wines are very full-bodied, but also have a noble elegance.

 

Rheingau wines in detail

Rheingau: Economic factor wine

Wine is and remains an important economic factor for the Rheingau. However, the region can only benefit to a limited extent from the former glory of Riesling. Sales are still stable, but while other German wine regions concentrate on their USPs or constantly reinvent themselves, Rheingau wine has been treading water in terms of marketing for a few decades.

Nevertheless, the Rheingau Gourmet and Wine Festival and the Rheingau Music Festival have very good strategies for combining wine and cuisine or wine and tourism. But the Rheingau, with its full-bodied and often high-alcohol wines, is more in the shadow of regions such as the Mosel or the Palatinate. But this can also be a great opportunity to try new paths and promote Rheingau wine in a more contemporary way in the future. The long-lasting and complex wines certainly deserve it.

Your selling points for Palatinate wines

• Known for the invention of late harvest wines – a lot of winemaking history
• Renowned and world-famous wineries that almost sell themselves
• Powerful and full-bodied wines – especially Riesling
• Wines can be easily combined with storytelling and brought to customers
• Wide range: juicy, fruity everyday wines and intense, full-bodied grand crus