The German wine scene – landscape and lifestyle
With its abundance of vineyards, wine shops, private wine collections and wine academies, Germany offers plenty of opportunities for educational, exciting and enjoyable wine tastings. Enjoy a delightful journey through Germany's various wine-growing regions and discover many of the world's best grape varieties.
Winegrowing has a long tradition in Germany, which has shaped 13 quality winegrowing regions in particular. This can be seen in the architecture of stately wine estates as well as in the idyllic townscape of wine villages. The vineyard cottages that characterise the landscape in some wine regions are architectural gems. In the Saale-Unstrut region, they are particularly elaborately designed like small villas, while in Rheinhessen the white houses known as trulli are reminiscent of Spanish round houses.
Traditions come alive at the seasonal wine festivals in particular, some of which have been celebrated for hundreds of years across all wine-growing regions. One special highlight is the Grape harvest festival in Neustadt , home to the world's largest winegrowers' parade. Tradition and progress are not mutually exclusive – and this is evident in the many ultra-modern wine bars where young winegrowers showcase their innovative products. The long tradition of regional wine queens has also been modernised and is now also open to male candidates in some regions.
The many signposted wine trails combine nature and wine enjoyment with fascinating views along with interesting information on soils, grape varieties and viticulture.
Immerse yourself in the culture, indulgence and vitality of the German wine regions.