Touring Germany's Rhine Valley--The Road to Riesling

Touring Germany's Rhine Valley
by Greg McCluney

The Road to Riesling

Preparing for the Grand Wine Tasting (toes + sand + wine)

This fall I was pleased to represent the Atlanta Wine School, Wines & Vines and several other publications on Wines of Germany’s overview tour to the Rheingeau and Nahe regions of German wine country. I call this area the “Road to Riesling,” as this noble grape truly dominates this part of the wine world, beyond anywhere else on earth.

In less than a week, five other wine journalists and I tasted at least 300 wines, 95 percent of them Riesling, visiting at least four Weinguts (estates) each day. While I have always enjoyed and recommended the wonders of this versatile and varied grape, this was indeed a total immersion experience.

Paired with many of the wines was a selection of both traditional and more contemporary German cuisine—always among my favorites. Perhaps the world’s most underrated, German food complements the formidable acidity, low alcohol, and easy-drinking attributes of these wines, especially the wonderful pork dishes, fabulous breads and fruits. (It’s unfortunate that it is so hard to find good, contemporary German cuisines in America. My best experience has been in Milwaukee; but that’s for another column.)

Enjoy a quick photo tour of my Road to Riesling highlights. I urge you to experience it for yourself when you can.

Depending on your route to Germany’s Rheingau region, you may approach the gateway village of Rudesheim via ferryboat across the fast-flowing Rhine. Don’t miss the wine museum in town for a quick history of the area.

Walter Bibo, general manager of Schloss Reinhartshausen, leads the group on a tasting and tour of the caves of this weingut, which has been cultivating vines since 1337. A large, unique estate, it even includes a vineyard on an island in the Rhine!

Vineyards surround the Rhine and its steep hillsides at every turn. Drive up to the crest of the hills among the ruins and castles for the best views.

The only part of our Weingut Leitz tasting more prolific than the many labels they produce are the pet rabbits outside the tasting room. It’s a German thing!

After tasting more than 75 Rieslings this day, we greatly enjoyed the Spatburgunders (German Pinot Noir) at Weingut Kunstler near Hochheim in the Rheingau.

Dr. Franz W. Michel of Domdechant Werner’sches Weingut explains the site and terrior of his “100% Riesling Pure” estate—privately held in the family for 220 years.

Near Michel’s estate is the house and estate visited by Thomas Jefferson where he tasted Rieslings and collected clippings for his plantation in the New World.