Hessische Bergstraße
We’ve visited many wine regions in Germany, and our favorite has to be the Hessische Bergstraße. This region is located in the northern part of Germany, nestled between Hessen (Hesse) and Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). It’s home to a variety of different areas with outstanding grape varieties and wines. The villages are connected through a network of hiking trails, which can make for great scenic drives. The gentle rivers that wind through the wine regions provide excellent water for irrigation as well as recreation.
Location:
The Hessische Bergstraße wine region is in the state of Hesse, with a small part in Baden-Württemberg. The area covers approximately 270 square kilometers; approximately 90 square kilometers are in the neighboring state. It is situated between the cities of Frankfurt and Heidelberg. Its location within the Odenwald (Odenwald Mountains) makes it unique among German wine regions: Its neighbors are all designated as “slopes” rather than “regions”.
In addition to several smaller towns and villages, there are two larger cities that have great significance for both the Hessian Bergstraße region and wine production throughout Germany: Bensheim and Heppenheim, both of which belong to the Bergstraße district. Bensheim is at its northern end, while Heppenheim is at its southern end.
The regional capital Darmstadt lies just east of Bensheim, near Weinheim and Viernheim; Wiesbaden lies northwest of Darmstadt, about 60 kilometers from Bensheim along highway B3 (Bundesstrasse 3), which runs through Hesse from north to south for over 400 kilometers without any major detours or road changes—a rarity for European highways!
Eastern part of the state Hesse and northernmost part of Baden-Württemberg right by the border to Hessian Bensheim.
The Hessische Bergstraße (Hesse Mountain Road) is an area of Germany which you can find in the east part of Hesse, south-west Germany. In the north it’s right by the border to Baden-Württemberg, and in the south there’s Hessian Bensheim. It borders to Darmstadt in the east and Mannheim/Heidelberg on its west side. The Frankfurt city area is located north of our Hessische Bergstraße wine region.
Area:
Situated in the Rheinhessen wine region of Germany’s south-west, Hessische Bergstraße lies at the border to Baden-Württemberg. The appellation consists of a total of 270 km2 (104 sq mi) and is divided into vineyards that are spread across two municipalities in Hesse and one in Baden-Württemberg. Some 90 km2 (35 sq mi) are planted with vines, at elevations ranging from 130–410 metres (427–1,345 feet). The surrounding landscape is made up mostly of rolling hills, forested areas and small lakes.
Hesse: 270 square kilometers, Baden-Württemberg: 90 square kilometers. 7,300 hectares of vineyards, of which 50% are Riesling.
The Hessische Bergstraße is one of the oldest wine regions in Germany. It was first mentioned in a document from 1474 and its origins can be traced back to the district seat of Wiesbaden. In 1502, Geert van der Meer established a vineyard on what is now known as the Coellberg hill, and this was followed by a number of other landowners who colonized the region with vines and grew them for generations afterwards. The soil here is very damp, which gives it an ideal climate for growing grapes: moderate temperatures, fresh air and sun all year long make it possible to have excellent vintages every year.
In 1828, Countess Marie von Frankfurt und Oder (who later became Princess Marie of Baden) established an association to increase planting in the area. Her husband followed suit when he took over control of his wife’s estate after her death. In 1845, he planted about 50 hectares of vineyards with Riesling grapes on land that had previously been used for pastureland. Also around that time, the ‘Hessische Bergstraße’ name was given to the area by Emperor Ferdinand I who visited part of it during his yearly excursions up into Baden-Württemberg’s mountains; he bestowed upon it this honorific title because he was so impressed by its beauty at sunset through haze-laden pine forests along winding mountain paths (hence “Hessen” means “Heavenly Mountain Lands”).
Important grape varieties.
As a vinophile, you likely know that German wine can be classified using quality levels: Tafelwein (table wine), Landwein (country wine), Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA, regional quality wine), and Prädikatsweine (Pradikat, superior quality wines). Most Hessische Bergstraße wineries produce QbA wines.
Important grape varieties include Riesling, Silvaner, Scheurebe, Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus and Weissburgunder. Lemberger is also an important variety which is used in red blends.
Hesse: Silvaner, Riesling, Scheurebe, Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus, Weißburgunder; Baden-Württemberg: Lemberger (Blaufränkisch).
In Hessen, the Hessian Bergstraße wine region stretches across the Odenwald mountains from Heidelberg in the north to Darmstadt in the south. Two of Germany’s best and most famous white grape varieties are cultivated here: Silvaner and Riesling. There are many other grape varieties grown on a smaller scale, such as Scheurebe, Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus and Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc).
The second largest state in Germany is Baden-Württemberg, with a population of over 10 million people. The Baden wine region is located in the southwest of the country, on both sides of the Rhine River which forms its natural border with France to the west. It has less land under cultivation than any other German region and produces fewer wines than any other with the exception of Saale-Unstrut. Lemberger (Blaufränkisch) is one of its most important red wines; it is also used a lot for blending.
Wine appellations.
Unlike the majority of Germany, Hessische Bergstraße is under national wine appellations. These are:
- Hessische Bergstraße (Hesse)
- Baden-Württemberg (Baden-Württemberg)
The best known wineries in Hessische Bergstraße are:
- Hahnenhof in Vorderheßler (Weißer Burgunder) Meyerhof in Rimbach (Riesling), Krauthausen in Darmstadt (Riesling).
Hesse Darmstadt; Baden-Württemberg Heppenheimer Schloßberg.
Hessische Bergstraße (also called Hessisches Bergstrasse) is one of the German wine regions set in Hesse. The region’s name means “mountain road through Hesse”, and the appellation straddles two different states: Hesse and Baden-Württemberg. This is largely due to the fact that vineyards are situated along a mountain ridge that extends across both states. The northernmost appellations in these regions are known as Darmstadt, and from there southward, they become known as Heppenheimer Schloßberg.
Famous wines and wine producers.
If you’re interested in trying out some of the varieties of wines produced here, consider paying a visit to:
- Hahnenhof in Vorderheßler. They have an excellent [Weißer Burgunder](https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/weiss+burgunder+hessische+bergstrasse+germany).
- Meyerhof in Rimbach. Their well-known [Riesling](https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/riesling+hessische+bergstrasse+germany) is certainly worth a try.
- Krauthausen in Darmstadt, which is known for their impressive [Riesling](https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/riesling)+a.”
Hahnenhof in Vorderheßler (Weißer Burgunder), Meyerhof in Rimbach (Riesling), Krauthausen in Darmstadt (Riesling).
Vorderheßler, Rimbach and Darmstadt are the most important villages here. The grapes grown in Vorderheßler are Weißer Burgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Gris). Try the Hahnenhof. In Rimbach, most of the vineyards are planted with Riesling, like on the Meyerhof. Darmstadt grows Weißer Burgunder and some Chardonnay, but is especially known for its red wines, especially Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) at Krauthausen.