Mainz, the capital of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, is a modern and lively city, with a wine culture dating back to Roman times. It is also Germany’s wine capital as well as the gateway to Rheinhessen, Germany’s largest wine-growing region. Over three days, a personalized tour with BottleStops introduced four wineries and a network of small producers. They provided an overview of the range of wines made by more than 2,000 winemakers here. Could the wines of Rheinhessen be a glimpse into the future of winemaking in Germany?
Rheinhessen
Nestled in a bend of the Rhine River, Rheinhessen has fertile soil that is ideal for orchards and vineyards. The gently rolling hills—sometimes called “German Tuscany”—are protected from northern winds by an arc of low-slung mountains on three sides. This land was a seabed in primeval times. Its mix of soils provides local winemakers with a superb base for producing excellent wines.
Nowadays, the Riesling wines the region is known for, share the spotlight with Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Grauburgunder (Pinto Gris), and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc). Sparkling wines are growing in popularity worldwide (including in the western United States). Rheinhessen winegrowers produce exuberant sparkling wines, as well. The region already has a long tradition of organic viticulture. On our tour, we learned that the number of organic winegrowers in Rheinhessen is increasing.
My husband and I had previously traveled in Swiss wine regions. We were delighted that our tour to discover the wines of Rheinhessen would introduce us to winemakers from a region that deserves serious exploration. Impressively, each of the venues we visited have received one or more wine tourism awards from the Great Wine Capitals of the World (GWC) global network.
Weingut Braunewell
The family-owned Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim began in the 17th century as an agricultural estate. Beginning with Rieslings in the 1960s, the winery’s portfolio has expanded with each generation. Rheinhessen is now the largest producer of sparkling wines in Germany. Weingut Braunewell contributes seven wines with different styles to the sparkling line-up. Today, brothers Stefan and Christian Braunewell run the winery.
In 2022, Weingut Braunewell was a GWC Global Winner for Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices. Recent upgrades at the winery include using solar power and recycled air for floor heating and temperature control. A cistern captures rainwater for cleaning tanks and barrels. Viticulture is biodynamic, and the winery is a member of the global FAIR’N GREEN initiative.
With their contributions to the wines of Rheinhessen, the Braunewell brothers aim to produce wines that express both the area’s unique winegrowing climate and the best of the estate’s vineyards. Braunewell’s classical Riesling is refreshing and yeasty; its rosés, Provence-style. The Spätburgunder here is unfiltered and fruity.
J.Neus
Ingelheim am Rhein became prominent in the 9th century with Emperor Charlemagne’s construction of the Imperial Palace. Today, the town has a reputation for excellent Spätburgunder, still observing priorities laid down by the emperor centuries ago. The J.Neus winery occupies a historic Ingelheim property not far from the palace and Spätburgunder is at the heart of its wine portfolio.
The winery’s current owners acquired J.Neus a decade ago. In the years since, an extensive process of change and renewal has been undertaken. Selecting grape varieties that can adapt to the higher temperatures winemakers expect in the future and improved water management are just two of the upgrades made. J.Neus is also going organic. Its first organic product is planned for 2023. The first organic Grosses Gewächs (GG), Germany’s equivalent to Grand Cru, will be ready in 2026.
Among the wines we tasted at J.Neus, my clear favorite was an Ingelheimer Spätburgunder Alte Reben (Pinot noir from old vines). According to Simon Kissmann, J.Neus managing director, [this wine] “makes clear what Pinot Noir can stand for—elegance and fragrance!”
Wasem
The Wasem winery in Ingelheim occupies a former abbey dating from 1290. Its original structure was expanded upon to provide a modern facility with a historic ambiance. The estate was home to a noble family in the 1700s. Wasem’s winemaking heritage dates from 1912 when Julius Wasem began bottling and marketing his wine. His heirs have continued the family tradition. They aim for quality at each level of Germany’s wine designations, from Gutsweine (entry-level) to the winery’s top designation, Lagenwein (single vineyard wines).
Generational change here translates to a reduced portfolio. The focus is on high-quality wines, and on sustainability in the vineyard, the cellar, and business operations. These days, the emphasis is less on typical Rheinhessen Rieslings and increasingly on Pinots. Our host Philipp Wasem acknowledged that the process will be longer than one generation. The winery is also experimenting with a range of low- and no-alcohol wines.
Our tasting here paired Wasem wines with delectable bites—sweet and savory—that elevated the experience, and the flavors of both the wines and the food. I especially enjoyed a ‘Late Release’ Grauburgunder, paired with a perch filet, and to finish, a sweet Siegerrebe Auslese. The dessert wine was a perfect complement to a nougat dumpling.
Kruger-Rumpf
Our visit to Kruger-Rumpf took us to the to the small Nahe region on the edge of Rheinhessen, where we were welcomed by Stefan Rumpf, who managed the winery until his recent retirement. He told of the winery’s long history, which began in 1792 with the founding of Kruger Wein, and of his father’s small holdings joining the winery after World War II. After Stefan took the winery over from his father in 1982, he built Kruger-Rumpf’s land holdings and wine list. He has now passed operations to a new generation but retains a keen interest in its work and success.
Kruger-Rumpf wines are made with minimal intervention in the cellar. The aim is to preserve the individual character of the soil and climate in the wines. Plant cover, horse manure, and sheep serving as “lawnmowers” in the vineyards, are among the natural viticulture methods used.
A recent New York Times write up praised a low-alcohol Münsterer Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett 2021 from Kruger-Rumpf. We tasted the Pitterberg and enjoyed its lightness and acidity, but my favorite of the wines here was the Abtei ‘1937’ Riesling Trocken 2020. It was green and flinty, from the steeply terraced Nahe vineyards.
Winzerkeller Ingelheim
We concluded our tour with a visit to Winzerkeller Ingelheim, home to a local network of 50 Ingelheim wine growers. Network members are small producers. These excellent wines of Rheinhessen would not otherwise be easily available for ad hoc tastings. The historic site of a former winemaking cooperative also houses a distillery, a restaurant, and a tourist information center. It also hosts art and cultural events.
At the Winzerkeller we tasted specialty wines from passionate local producers. For me, the highlights were the slightly spicy Huster Souvignier Gris 2022, a PIWI wine produced from a resistant grape variety comparable to Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris; Hamm Ingelheimer Riesling ‘Akazie’ Trocken 2021, skin-aged in acacia wood; and AdamsWein Grauburgunder Naturtrüb 2020, a biodynamic orange wine created from Grauburgunder grapes and skin-fermented. It was a marvelous way to end our tour through an unexpectedly varied and dynamic wine region!
Tip: The Winzerkeller is easy to visit on your own, and is a fine option for individual, drop-in tastings.
If You Go
Wine hotels
Myriad hotels can serve as a base for discovering the wines of Rheinhessen. We had an opportunity to sample two of them:
· Weinzuhause, in Mommenheim, is a spanking new 4-star facility. The Wild and Becker families have combined a family winery with a 20-room hotel. The result is a comfortable stay in Rheinhessen wine country.
· Hofgut Wissberg is a boutique hotel idyllically located amid vineyards on a hill in Sankt Johann. Its beautifully appointed, luxurious rooms would provide a night of absolute quiet. Wines produced by local vintners are available in the hotel’s honor bar.
Both hotels offer a sumptuous breakfast buffet, a great start to a day of wine touring!
Wines of Rheinhessen with BottleStops
A wine tour with BottleStops is sure to please. Owner Jérôme Hainz is a Rheinhessen wine missionary, born and bred. A Best of Wine Tourism Award from the Great Wine Capitals of the World have rewarded his innovative wine tourism experiences. His carefully curated tours take guests from winery to winery, and village to village, with well-placed meals to complement the tastings.
BottleStops offers one-day tours out of Mainz, as well as personalized itineraries to fit guests’ interests and knowledge levels, from rank beginner to connoisseur. The BottleStops website provides detailed information on tour offerings in Rheinhessen and the other wine regions around Mainz. No matter what tour option you choose, you are sure to come away with a newfound or enhanced appreciation of the region, its wines, and the people who make them.
BottleStops, in cooperation with winery and hotel partners, organized and hosted our visit to Rheinhessen. The opinions expressed are mine.
