The German Wine Road
On the German Wine Road, you can drive from place to place and taste the wines which have been cultivated here, in the Palatinate's mild climate, since the Middle Ages. At least, that might be the first idea that springs to mind when you hear the name. But that is just one way of experiencing the German Wine Road – although it is by no means the worst option! The German Wine Road extends for 85 kilometres from Bockenheim in Zellertal in the north to Schweigen on the Alsace border in the south. It runs through the region which is blessed by more sun than anywhere else in Germany. And in this sun-kissed region, grapes are not the only fruit that ripen easily: figs, kiwis and lemons flourish here, and in spring, delicate pink almond blossom appears.
No wonder, then, that Germany's oldest and most famous tourist route is here, running between the hills on the fringes of the Palatinate Forest and the River Rhine.
Wines with a wealth of tradition
Viticulture began here two thousand years ago, when the Romans exploited the Palatinate's mild climate to produce wine. The historical evidence is still there for all to see: a Roman foot-operated wine press and manor house, only discovered at Weilberg near Bad Dürkheim in 1981, and excavations of a Roman vineyard, the "villa rustica" north-east of Wachenheim, dating back to the first to fifth centuries.
Germany's second-largest wine-growing region extends over an area of 23 600 hectares to the east and west of the Wine Road. Some 2.4 million hectolitres of wine are produced here every year, between the northern and southern gateways to the Wine Road. One bottle of German wine in every four is produced here in the Palatinate.
This extensive wine-growing region is divided into the Southern Wine Road and the German Wine Road – Mittelhaardt. The undisputed number one wine in this region is the Riesling, the "king of white wines", but Müller-Thurgau/Rivaner, Kerner and Silvaner, pinot blanc and pinot gris also form part of the wine-growers' repertoire. Around 20 % of the vines yield red grapes, with Portugieser, pinot noir and Dornfelder being the main varieties.
In the Palatinate's numerous distilleries, delicious liqueurs are produced from grapes, apples, pears, quinces, cherries, raspberries and sloes.
Wine festivals
The people of the Palatinate have a reputation for being extremely sociable with great zest for life, always finding an opportunity for a celebration. And to accompany the glass of wine, a plateful of the Palatinate's good hearty fare – stuffed belly of pork, Rebknorzespiessen and meat dumplings – is essential.
The Wine Road's festivals begin with the almond blossom festival in Gimmeldingen in mid-March, and the region's wine festivals follow like pearls on a string. The season does not end until early November, when the leaves on the vines glow with bright autumn colours.
The highlights in this welter of festivals are the German Grape Harvest Festival in Neustadt in the first weeks of October, with the crowning of the German and Palatine "Queens of Wine", the Dürkheim sausage market in September, when some 400 000 litres of wine are consumed each year, and the traditional billy-goat auction in Deidesheim every June.
Historic sites
As well as wine-growing and festivals, the German Wine Road is renowned for its sleepy villages, picturesque vineyards and countless romantic castles, all steeped in history.
Most notable is Hambach Castle near Neustadt, where in 1832, some 30 000 citizens, craftsmen and peasants gathered for three days at Hambach Festival to demonstrate for freedom and the unity of Germany's numerous principalities. Although Germany's ruling princes responded with tighter censorship and a ban on political assemblies, Hambach Castle has gone down in history as the birthplace of German democracy. The black, red and gold banner borne by the protest movement later became Germany's national flag.
Nearby is the ruined monastery of Limburg near Bad Dürkheim – one of the Wine Road's real gems. Visitors to the ruins of this former Benedictine abbey, which rises high above the valley, can enjoy the beautiful view over the town. In summer, concerts and theatrical performances are staged against the backdrop of its red sandstone walls – a unique and atmospheric setting.
But despite this wealth of cultural opportunities on the east and west of the Wine Road, you may prefer to spend your time tasting the wine. But don't forget this: the people in the Palatinate have their own special measure, and a glass of wine is half a litre.
Dagmar Giersberg, Cleeves Communication UnitZwei,
works as an editor and journalist in Bonn
Copyright: Goethe-Institut, Online-Redaktion
online-redaktion@goethe.de
August 2003
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Germany's wine growing areas are among the most northerly wine regions in the world, which makes them very special indeed. Long vegetation periods and moderate summer heat give the wine its worldwide famous lightness and modern fruity aroma. More...
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