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.

Their reputation for producing premium vintages opened up all of the big stately homes to the Rheingau wineries in the past. This high standing is boosted these days by the Centre for Viticulture and Oenology in Geisenheim.

The main grape variety in the Rheingau region is Riesling, which is ideally grown in the loess soil that is widespread throughout the area. The variety of soil types also allow for a range of other grape varieties to be grown here, including wines with mineral overtones in Lorch, red wines in red shale in Assmanhausen and robust wines in quartzite in Rüdesheim.

Main grape varieties: Riesling and Pinot Noir

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