The Rheingau is one of Germany's grand old wine regions, a narrow run of south-facing slopes where the Rhine bends west below the wooded Taunus hills. Its aristocratic estates and monastery cellars have set the benchmark for Riesling for centuries, and the wines still carry that seriousness: firm, structured and mineral.
Dry Riesling from the great Rheingau slopes
The heart of the region is Riesling, planted on roughly four vineyards in five. The finest sites rise above Rüdesheim, where the Berg Schlossberg falls away in quartzite and slate and gives some of the most powerful dry Riesling in the country. Around the village of Johannisberg, Schloss Johannisberg has grown the grape and almost nothing else for three centuries, and gave the world its first Spätlese in 1775. Estates such as Robert Weil, Leitz, Georg Breuer and Künstler carry that tradition today, making taut, savoury wines that reward a few years in the cellar. A fine place to start exploring the wines of Germany.
Assmannshausen Spätburgunder and noble sweet wines
The Rheingau is not only about dry white wine. At its western end the village of Assmannshausen grows Spätburgunder on red slate, and the best are serious, perfumed reds with real ageing potential; follow the grape into our wider Pinot Noir range. The region also shaped Germany's great sweet wines, from honeyed Auslese to rare Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, concentrated by the noble rot that forms in autumn mists off the river. For more crisp, food-friendly whites in a similar spirit, look to the neighbouring Nahe, or browse the rest of our white wine.
Rheingau wine FAQ
What food pairs with Rheingau Riesling?
Dry Riesling loves shellfish, crab, roast pork and trout, and its acidity cuts cleanly through spiced Asian dishes. Save the sweet Auslese and Beerenauslese for blue cheese or a simple fruit tart.
How long does Rheingau Riesling age?
A dry Riesling from a good site drinks well for five to ten years and often longer, kept fresh by its racy acidity. The great sweet wines can hold for decades.
Is Rheingau wine dry or sweet?
Most Rheingau Riesling today is dry, or trocken. The region is equally famous for its Prädikat sweet wines, so you will find both styles side by side.