Mittelrhein (Middle Rhine)
The Middle Rhine Valley, the largest of Germany’s wine regions with its 1,800 hectares of vineyards and over 300 wineries. It is located in the Federal State of Rheinland-Pfalz and occupies a narrow strip between Bingen and Bonn on both sides of the river. The Upper Rhine runs through it for about 40 miles (65km). The Middle Rhine Valley is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of its spectacular scenery, castles, palaces and vineyards.
The region offers diverse conditions for growing grapes: sunny slopes with many locations at an altitude of 200 to 450 meters above sea level. In general, the area has an oceanic climate with mild winters. Fast winds from the Atlantic Ocean such as Föhn occur regularly; they provide protection against late frosts in spring and fall. Cold air settles in the valley during cold winters and warms up more quickly than other places that are surrounded by higher mountains that are sheltered from this wind. An advantage for viticulture!
Overview
The Mittelrhein is a winegrowing region in the centre of Germany, on the banks of the Rhine. It lies between Worms and Bingen in the federal state of Rheinland-Pfalz. The name Mittelrhein means ‘Middle Rhine’ and it is, as its name suggests, a subregion of the larger Rheingau wine region.
Location, climate, viticulture and winemaking
The region of Mittelrhein is a small wine-growing area that runs along both sides of the Rhine river. This subregion is influenced by the nearby Atlantic Ocean, which moderates temperatures and makes it warm enough to grow grapes there. The Rhine river also helps: it acts as a huge heat sink, and the vines planted on its south banks get hours of additional sunlight each day. The surrounding mountains also influence climate: they trap heat around the valley floor, protecting grapevines from frost in autumn and cold winds in winter.
Winemakers here follow sustainable growing practices and use no herbicides or pesticides, so their grapes are clean and pure when they’re harvested. Most wines from this area are dry—they taste somewhat sweet because of the high sugar content of their grapes, but any residual sugar has been converted to alcohol during fermentation so there’s no sweetness left in these wines themselves.
Grape varieties and appellations
- Mittelrhein is a small wine region in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The name Mittelrhein means ‘middle Rhine’ and is a direct reference to its location along this river. There are only about 2,000 hectares under vine in the Mittelrhein region, which accounts for just 1% of Germany’s total vineyard area. The most important grape varieties in the Mittelrhein region are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner and Silvaner.
- Rheingau is an important wine growing region within Hessen that lies across both banks of the River Rhine to the east of Frankfurt. The area benefits from its south facing slopes, which allows maximum sunlight exposure for the vines. Riesling grapes account for 75% of all plantings here but other grapes such as Silvaner and Spätburgunder can also be found on less than 10% of the total area under vine (2,000 ha).
Famous wines from the Mosel region include:
- Riesling
- Spätburgunder
- Grauburgunder
The Mittelrhein is home to rich and complex wines that are less well known than those of the Mosel.
The Mittelrhein region is home to five wine regions; Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Nahe, Pfalz and Mosel. While the region might not receive the same level of wine-buying attention as its neighbour, it shouldn’t be overlooked. It is home to some outstanding wines that are less expensive than their more famous neighbours. Despite being less well-known, the region has been making wine since Roman times!
While people typically think of Germany as a country for sweet whites only, there are also some equally excellent dry wines here as well. In general, wines from this region will be richer and have more weight than those from the Mosel. This makes them ideal for winter drinking with hearty meals like roasted meats or goose – a traditional German dish in many areas along the Rhine River!