The Winery J.P. Zwick of Mittelrhein

Discovering the wine region of Mittelrhein

Mittelrhein is one of Germany's smaller wine regions, with around 468 hectares (1,156 acres) under Vine. A Long, thin region, it follows the course of the Rhine river between Rheinhessen/bingen">Bingen and Bonn, a distance of about 100 kilometers (60 miles) as the crow flies. At its Southern end, the region abuts the western edge of Rheinhessen and northern limits of the Nahe. It also intersects with the Mosel and Ahr regions, where their respective rivers Flow into the Rhine.

The better Vineyard sites are concentrated in the south, around Boppard, Bacharach and Bingen. Some of the scenery here is spectacular, with medieval castles perched on rocky crags overlooking the vineyards and river below. Indeed, the 'Upper Middle Rhine Valley' was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. Mittelrhein wine production is dominated by white wine varieties, most obviously Riesling, which accounts for around 65 percent of vines here.

Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) also feature. The only red-wine grape grown in any quantity here is Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) which accounts for roughly ten percent. Very little Mittelrhein wine is exported, and even on the German domestic market it is not widely known. Unfortunately, the region's dramatic beauty comes at a cost to the wine trade.