Rheinhessen Wine Region
Witness Germany's most dramatic quality transformation, where the 'New Rheinhessen' movement created world-class Rieslings from the legendary Roter Hang red slopes and limestone hills that now rival the greatest white wines on earth.
About Rheinhessen
Rheinhessen represents one of wine's greatest modern transformations. Germany's largest region (26,500 hectares) evolved from bulk Liebfraumilch production to crafting some of the world's most acclaimed dry Rieslings. The 'New Rheinhessen' movement, beginning in the 1990s, focused on the region's extraordinary terroirs: the iron-rich Roter Hang (Red Slope) along the Rhine and the limestone-rich Wonnegau hills. Visionary producers like Keller and Wittmann proved these sites could produce wines rivaling Burgundy's finest.
Quick Facts
Soil Types:
Riesling Characteristics
Flavor Profile
Ranges from powerful, mineral-driven Roter Hang wines with stone fruit, exotic spice, and savory saltiness, to elegant limestone-driven Wonnegau Rieslings with profound purity and chalky minerality. Generally medium to full-bodied with ripe fruit (peach, apricot, grapefruit) and balanced acidity.
Best Vintages
Outstanding recent years: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2015, 2012. The region's reliable climate and diverse terroirs create consistent quality across vintages.
Wine Towns & Cities in Rheinhessen
Explore the charming wine towns and cities that make Rheinhessen a premier destination for Riesling enthusiasts.
Mainz
Capital of Rhineland-Palatinate and gateway to the Rheinhessen wine region, with a rich history dating back to Roman tim...
Explore this wine destination →Nierstein
Wine village in Rheinhessen, famous for the Roter Hang (Red Slope) with its distinctive red slate soil....
Explore this wine destination →Planning Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Late spring through early autumn. Summer offers perfect cycling weather through the gently rolling "land of a thousand hills." Visit during Mainzer Weinmarkt (August-September) or Roter Hang festivals.
Wine Tourism Tips
Base in Mainz (Germany's wine capital) for access to both Roter Hang and Wonnegau. Walk the Roter Hang trail through red slate vineyards with Rhine panoramas. Visit cult wineries Keller and Wittmann in Westhofen. Don't miss the original Liebfrauenkirche vineyard in Worms.