13 wine-growing regions - German wine grows here

The Ahr River meanders through the bizarre rocky landscape with sudden twists and turns, past vineyards clinging to the barren stone. Even the Ancient Romans were wise to the favourable climate of this wild and romantic valley.

As a wine-growing region, Baden is one of a kind. Shielded by the Odenwald hills and the Black Forest on one side and the Vosges mountains on the other, there's no sunnier or warmer climate in the whole of Germany.

Goethe is believed to have gushed about his favourite tipple: "Send me some more Würzburg wine as no other kind will do." Franconia is one of the most modern wine-growing regions of the moment, producing fine wines that are appreciated all around the world and boasting state-of-the-art wine architecture.

Almond trees, apricot trees and magnolias stand proudly alongside the vineyards in one of the smallest of Germany's 13 wine-growing regions. All visitors need to feel right at home here is a spot of venison and trout from the Odenwald hills paired with a glass of fine wine.

The Rhine flows past the Lorelei, a spectacular landmark, between Bingen and Bonn, and through the landscape of the Middle Rhine Valley. The southern part of this cultural landscape sculpted by vineyards has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.

The Moselle, Saar and Ruwer Rivers meander through countryside where the Romans first cultivated wine 2,000 years ago. The Moselle region is the oldest wine-growing region in Germany and the largest with vines on steep slopes.

Verdant greenery, idyllic river valleys and dramatic rock formations are what give the Nahe wine-growing region in the south-west of Germany its distinctive character. The mild climate ensures that the grapes ripen early and develop a pleasant level of acidity.

The Palatinate region ranks alongside the Moselle as the largest producer of Riesling in the world with around 5,000 hectares devoted to the grape. It is also the biggest red wine region in Germany since 40% of the vineyards are planted with red grapes.

The monasteries, castles and palaces in the Rheingau region blend beautifully into the picturesque landscape and have played a crucial role in the evolution of the area, with monks having taken charge of wine-growing here for centuries and defining the cultural landscape along the way.

It may be surprising to hear that Rhine-Hesse is not in Hesse at all. In actual fact, it's on the other side of the Rhine altogether. But this fun fact is typical of Germany's largest wine-growing region since it is just full of surprises.

Vast landscapes speckled with vineyards, steep terraces, dry-stone walls dating back centuries and romantic vineyard huts can be found throughout Saale-Unstrut, the northernmost premium wine-growing area in Germany.

Saxony is the most north-easterly wine-growing region in Germany and one of the smallest in Europe. It is unusual in that the vineyards are divided up into small plots that are cultivated by more than 3,000 small wine-growers.