Five amazing wine estates allow you to explore the German countryside while savoring delicious local wines, plus Pinot Gris, Riesling and Burgundy. This activity is delicious all year round, but after autumn, when many grapes are still harvested, it is a quick walk, quiet tastings and delicious nights by the fire.
Rhineland Hesse: following the terraces of the Rhine
Between Worms, Mainz and Bingen lies Germany’s largest and oldest wine region, the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Rhineland-Hesse. The main grape is Müller-Thurgau, but Silvaner, Riesling, Dornfelder or Burgundy are also grown. Spicy and acidic, the white grape is grown in all its variants.
Germany’s richest Rieslings come from the Rote Hang between Nierstein and Nackenheim. You can walk along the path of the terraces of the Rhine, about 75 kilometers long, divided into six stages and which crosses many captivating villages.
Palatinate: Germany’s oldest wine route
Manual harvesting, manual harvesting
The region between the Palatinate Forest and the Rhine Plain is located in Rhineland-Palatinate. Lemons, figs and kiwis grow in the countryside gardens, but this region is heavily influenced by wine, with endless vines descending as far as the Rhine and Moselle. The grapes of Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Silvaner and Chardonnay also come from the Palatinate.
Germany’s oldest wine route, the German Wine Route, runs through the centre of the Palatinate. More than a hundred wine villages, castles and majestic palaces, wine festivals in summer and almond blossoms in spring are part of the charm. The small villages of Bobenheim, Birkweiler and Neustadt are beautiful, and the Palatinate Keschde Trail, the Palatinate Almond Trail and the Palatinate Wine Trail are worth a visit.
Baden: climate, glorious wine
Under Staufen Castle, the harvest begins in Baden. Solaris is one of the first to be an Array. [ ] harvested, historically served in autumn.
Baden, the “paradise of Burgundy”, is one of Germany’s most flexible wine regions. It stretches for about 400 kilometers along the Upper Rhine plain, from Tauberfranken to Kraichgau and Badische Bergstrasse to Lake Constance. climate. Another Baden specialty: Cuvée wine.
The outstanding cities of this region are Freiburg, Heidelberg and Baden-Baden with their beautiful old towns. The Baden Wine Route passes through several of these towns. An ecological wine route leads through Markgräfler Land, and the Ortenau wine route also mentions. The atmospheric Lake Constance is covered with scattered orchards and picturesque villages.
Moselle: The steepest winery in Europe; Beauty of the river
Moselle vines
Riesling, as well as Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Noir grow in early shale. The steep slopes are made for experienced hikers and offer unique perspectives of a cultural landscape with castles, vineyards, waterfalls, ostrich farms and mythical wine villages.
Cochem and Bremm are popular cities. The Calmont cable car offers hikers an exclusive view of the Bremmer Mosel circuit and you can walk to Prinzenkopf with its metal watchtower. A to Moselhöhenweg rewards you with a breathtaking view of the rich landscaped wine terraces.
Franconia: small, refined
Walk in the Zellerau district of Würzburg near Marienberg Castle.
In the Middle Ages, Franconia was still considered the largest wine region of the Holy Roman Empire; Today it is one of the most modest wine regions. The registered trademarks are the bulbous bottle, the Bocksbeutel. Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Riesling, and the typical Franconian Bacchus.
In Franconia, every year, two hundred wine-related festivals are held. Located between the valleys of Spessart, Rhön, Steigerwald and Tauber, are the romantic wine villages, Marienburg Castle and the residential town of Würzburg with its imposing cathedral. You can walk through thick forests, gentle hills and pass villages with half-timbered houses.
Follow the Franconian wine region on the main trail, with its six stages. Along the Volkacher Mainschleife you can expect Silvaner wine and amazing prospects from Vogelsburg. Red wine lovers can stop by the red wine hike in Dernau.
(For more on Germany, check out episode 69 of my award-winning podcast, Places I Remember. To learn more about the most productive places to walk, pay attention to episode 71. Follow us on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you want. Pay attention to podcasts. Or on my website. )