The Winery Alfred Heil of Nahe

Discovering the wine region of Nahe

Nahe is one of the smaller German wine regions, named after the Nahe river which joins the Rhein at Rheinhessen/bingen">Bingen. The viticultural carea here is characterised by dramatic topography with steep slopes and craggy outcrops of metamorphic rock. Like most of the regions on or near the Rhine, its most prestigious wines are made from Riesling. There are around 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) of Vineyards, spread across seven Grosslagen (wine districts) and over 300 Einzellagen (individual vineyard sites).

The total vineyard area has declined – like the Mosel there are many steep vineyard sites here, and while they can produce great quality, the effort required to Farm them has led to many being abandoned. The subregion of Alsenztal, once covered in vineyards, has now almost ceased to exist. The wider region can be divided into three main sections. From Sobernheim to Bad Kreuznach the Nahe river flows west to east and is known as the Upper Nahe.

Steeper slopes of volcanic or weathered stone or reddish slate with clay and an ideal southern exposure give more Finesse, minerality and spiciness to fine Riesling. The area is also known for its gemstones. The most concentrated area of top vineyards in the Nahe runs from Schlossböckelheim to Traisen, with Monzingen – around 6 miles (10km) further to the west being the most acclaimed site further upstream. Climate and Geography The undulating topography here creates multiple diverse mesoclimates for viticulture.