Berömda vingårdslägen

The western fringe of Germany's largest wine-growing region, Rheinhessen, takes in the steep hillsides and forested summits of "Rheinhessen's Switzerland" - a little-known circle of wine villages fanning out south of Wöllstein (southeast of Bad Kreuznach/Nahe). read more

This month's famous vineyard site is located in the heart of the Pfalz wine-growing region, in Königsbach, a wine village north of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. read more

This month's famous vineyard site is located in the heart of the Nahe wine-growing region, in Wallhausen, a thousand-year-old wine village situated some 10 km (6 miles) northwest of Bad Kreuznach in the Gräfenbach Valley (a Bach is a stream or brook). read more

One of the year’s earliest wine festivals in Germany celebrates both wine and the blossoming of Mandel (almond) trees – a harbinger of spring and the start of a new growing season. The Mandelblütenfest takes place in March (date varies, depending on the outset of blossoming) in the Neustadt suburb of Gimmeldingen, midway along the Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Road). read more 

The Bodensee (Lake Constance) forms a border between Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Some 30 km/20 miles northwest of the lake lies the Hegau district of Germany, home of a chain of extinct volcanoes, the highest of which is Hohentwiel. read more

December marks the opening of Germany's traditional outdoor Christmas markets – many of which are centuries old. Thousands of lights throughout the market places brighten the shortest days of the year and the air is filled with the spicy fragrance of Glühwein (hot, mulled wine) and Lebkuchen (gingerbread) as well as the scents of roasted chestnuts or grilled sausages and potato pancakes. read more

Viticulture in the Saar River Valley dates from Roman times. The top sites are extremely steep; consist primarily of stony, weathered slate; and are planted with Riesling grapes. Compared with their Mosel counterparts, young Saar Rieslings are often marked by an austere, steely acidity. The finest impart a taut balance of fruit and acidity – and benefit from aging. read more

Home to Rare Flora and Fauna. From a look at a map, the Main River seems to form a large “W” as it loops its way through the heart of the Franken wine-growing region. That’s a convenient way to remember that the region’s wine and cultural capital is the beautiful city of Würzburg. read more

At Cochem, some 50 km/30 miles southwest of the Mosel River’s confluence with the Rhine at Koblenz, the Mosel begins a series of spectacular loops as it snakes its way toward Zell, Bernkastel and Trier. read more

The strata montana, or Bergstrasse, (literally, mountain road) is an old Roman trade route parallel to the Rhine. It skirts the foothills of the Odenwald (Oden Forest) between Darmstadt and Wiesloch, south of Heidelberg, for some 70 km (45 miles). The hilly vineyards lining the route belong to both the Hessische Bergstrasse (northern stretch) and Baden (southern portion) wine-growing regions. read more

Of the 12 World Cup sites and stadiums in Germany, Stuttgart and its Gottlieb Daimler Stadium are the only ones situated in the midst of vineyards. Kaiserslautern is not far from the Pfalz; Frankfurt is within an hour’s drive from the Rheingau, Rheinhessen, northern Pfalz, Hessische Bergstrasse and Franken; and Leipzig is near the Saale-Unstrut wine region in the east. read more

Sensuous Wines of Quintessential Elegance: Forster Kirchenstück. Springtime comes early to the Pfalz. In fact, one of Germany’s earliest wine festivals is celebrated here, in the Neustadt suburb of Gimmeldingen, when the almond trees blossom in mid- to late April. Just a bit further north on the Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Road) lies a quartet of wine villages whose wine-growers and their... read more

Bockenheim and Schweigen-Rechtenbach are at opposite ends of the Deutsche Weinstrasse (German Wine Road), the 80-km/50-mile, north-south route that winds through the Pfalz wine-growing region. Not only does each town boast a massive Weintor, or gateway, marking the start/finish of the wine road, but each also has a vineyard named Sonnenberg – a popular appellation for sloping (Berg) sites in the sunny (Sonne) Pfalz, where no fewer than eight sites bear this name. read more

In honor of Valentine’s Day and the “color” of love, we turn our attention this month to a little-known and very small, but special, vineyard site in the Alsenz River Valley: Rotenberg (literally, “red hill”). It is a steep site near the town of Altenbamberg, just a few kilometers south of Bad Kreuznach, the wine capital of the Nahe region. read more

Drachenfels” is the NAME of one of the Siebengebirge (Seven Hills) just south of Bonn – and doubtlessly, the best known; the ruins of the 12th-century Burg (fortress) at the peak of the hill; and the vine-covered slope near the foot of the hill that stretches from Königswinter to Rhöndorf – this month’s famous site. Läs mer

The lamb has long been an important symbol in the Jewish, Eastern Orthodox and Western Christian faiths. The lamb sacrificed on the first Passover commemorates the deliverance/exodus of the ancient Hebrews from slavery. read more

Although the Rheingau is best known for its Riesling wines, the Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) grape has also been cultivated here for centuries, particularly in the red wine enclave Assmannshausen. The town is situated about 4.5 km (3 miles) downstream from Rüdesheim, where the Rhine makes a sweeping bend and resumes its south-north course. read more