HomeLeisure and recreationScenic routes The German Wine Route German Wine Route – A symphony of the grape The Romans are to blame as it was they who brought wine to the Palatinate. We, however, have brought it the German Wine Route. The 85 km route has wound its way through the Palatinate from the German Wine Gate on the French border in the district of Schweigen-Rechtenbach to Bockenheim in the north of Germany since 1935. The easterly location of the exceptional riesling producing region of the Palatinate delivers on its promises: the weather and climate here are particularly favourable. Visitors here are greeted by a veritable Garden of Eden, a place where almond trees blossom pink in spring, where kiwis, figs and lemons flourish in summer and mighty oleander bushes fill the farms and gardens, and where in autumn a sun-kissed, aromatic sea of vines cries out to be harvested and delicious Rhineland Palatinate cuisine comes into its own. Worlds of wine The German Wine Route was not made for running, not just because of the narrow streets of the region's wine-growing villages and the sloping roads of the vineyards, but because you can be brought to a stop at any point along the route by a winetasting session.

Wonderful wines from renowned makers can be sampled out in the arbors, on the side of the road, in tasting rooms and numerous wine bars along the way. In this charming sunny corner of Germany's largest wine-growing region, the grapes are truly in full-flow, the god Dionysus reigns supreme and the Palatinate's star riesling, pinot grigio and dornfelder wine offer the highest of drinking pleasure. A region with wow factor The Dürkheim Barrel (Dürkheimer Weinfass) is a key tourist spot. With a volume of 1.7 million litres and space for around 650 people, it is the largest barrel in the world and is today a tavern which offers wine tasting sessions and a range of culinary delights. The list of wine festivals held along the route is almost as long as the route itself and includes the blooming of the almond trees (Mandelblütenfest) festival in spring, the world's largest wine festival, the Wurstmarkt, the grape harvest festival in Neustadt which features a selection of German wine superstars and the end of autumn festival (Herbstabschlussfest) that is held in Schweigen-Rechtenbach in October.

An indulgently immersive experience Wine is considered the elixir of life in the land of the vineyards and a celebration would just not be the same without it. best wine gadgetsIt therefore plays a key role in festivals, no matter the size. best company to ship wineThe German Wine Route can be experienced in either direction, of course, so it's ideally suited to repeat visits. best wine for asian dishesBut, of course, anyone who's been here before knows that already!10 best wine bars in london Length: approximately 85 km Theme: wine, indulgence, culture, nature Highlights: Bad Bergzabern: castle, thermal spring Bad Dürkheim: Dürkheim Barrel (Dürkheimer Fass) Bockenheim: the Traubenmadonna statue, St. Lambert's Church (Lambertskirche) Deidesheim: museum, parish church Edenkoben: old winemakers' houses Neustadt: half-timbered houses, rail museum, Hambach Castle Schweigen-Rechtenbach: the German Wine Gate Wachenheim: castle www.deutscheweinstrasse-pfalz.detop wine stores boston

Opening of the Museum of Reformation History, Mühlberg T-Rex and Brachiosaurus at Berlin's Natural History Museum Sprengel Museum in Hannover: the art of the 20th centurybest spanish wine years Hamburg Kunsthalle: art masterpieces spanning 700 years With the sword or strong faith - Luther and the witches German Spy Museum: Capital of Spies The Bundesliga: a festival of football for millions of fans THE ONE Grand Show, Berlin Video installation „Hundertwasser Experience“ Media of the Reformation - Clash of Religions Filter by Color / Type Blanc de Noir (8) Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio (1) Filter by Dry / Sweet Dry White Wine (26) Semi-Dry White Wine (6) Sweet White Wine (14) Next Page View All Next Page View AllOpened in mid-2013, this Mitte wine bar serves up quality bites like blood sausage pizza and serve a variety of vino from German and Austrian wine makers.

Food & DrinkDrinksWineGermany’s Wines and Wine Regions Germany’s Wines and Wine Regions Germany has 13 wine regions — 11 regions in the west and 2 regions in the eastern part of the country. German wines are mostly white. They’re fruity in style, low in alcohol, rarely oaked, and often off-dry or sweet. Their labels carry grape names, which is an anomaly in Europe. Germany is the northernmost major wine-producing country in Europe — its climate is cool. Except in warmer pockets of Germany, red grapes don’t ripen adequately, which is the reason most German wines are white. The climate is also erratic from year to year, meaning that vintages do matter for fine German wines. Germany’s finest vineyards are situated along rivers such as the Rhine and the Mosel, and on steep, sunny slopes, to temper the extremes of the weather and help the grapes ripen. Riesling and other grape varieties In Germany’s cool climate, the noble Riesling grape finds true happiness.

Riesling represents little more than 20 percent of Germany’s vineyard plantings. Another major, but less distinguished, German variety is Müller-Thurgau, a crossing between the Riesling and Silvaner (or possibly Chasselas) grapes. Its wines are softer than Riesling’s with less character and little potential for greatness. After Müller-Thurgau and Riesling, the most-planted grapes in Germany are Silvaner, Kerner, Scheurebe, and Ruländer (Pinot Gris). Among Germany’s red grapes, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) is the most widely planted, mainly in the warmer parts of the country. The most famous of Germany’s 13 wine regions is the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region, named for the Mosel River and two of its tributaries, along which the region’s vineyards lie; and the Rheingau region, along the Rhine River. The Rhine River lends its name to three other German wine regions, Rheinhessen, the Pfalz (formerly called the Rheinpfalz), and the tiny Mittelrhein region. Following are descriptions of notable wine regions in Germany:

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer: The Mosel-Saar-Ruwer vineyard rise steeply on the slopes of the twisting and turning Mosel River. The wines of the region are among the lightest in Germany (usually containing less than 10 percent alcohol); they’re generally delicate, fresh, and charming. Riesling dominates the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer with 57 percent of the plantings. Rheingau: The Rheingau is among Germany’s smaller wine regions. It, too, has some dramatically steep vineyards bordering a river, but here the river is Germany’s greatest wine river, the Rhine. The Riesling grape occupies more than 80 percent of the Rheingau’s vineyards, many of which are south-facing slopes that give the Riesling grapes an extra edge of ripeness. Rheinhessen: Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine region, producing huge quantities of simple wines for everyday enjoyment. Liebfraumilch originated here, and it’s still one of the most important wines of the region, commercially speaking. The Rheinhessen’s highest quality wines come from the Rheinterrasse, a vineyard area along the river.