Many areas of the Upper Middle Rhine do not produce wine: the geography just isn’t suitable or practicable, even for growing other crops, so steep are the slopes rising from the river’s edge; and that makes the vineyards along this section of the Rhine even more special and beloved.
Riesling dominates overwhelmingly here: over 70% of the plantings in this area are of Riesling vines. Its closest numerical competition comes from the approximately 9% of Spaetburgunder plantings. So these two varietals, one white, the other red, equal approximately 80% of all cultivated vines in this area. Muller-Thurgau, Kerner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris make up about 11% of all remaining cultivated white varietals. Dornfelder and Portugieser make up the remaining red varietals.
Switzerland has several wine regions, and this post covers the wines produced in the French-speaking Valais and Vaud Cantons, in the southwest of the country.
The Moselle River wineries are not that far from the Rhine river wineries in the Rheingau and the Rhein-Hesse wine regions, but they are figuratively speaking a world apart. Equally as proud of their line of products, which have centuries of tradition behind them, both river valley wine growers share something else in common: the cultivation of the Riesling grape as the single-most common varietal grown.
The wine region of Franciacorta was given a huge boost in the 11th Century with the arrival of monks, to include some from the famous French monastery of Cluny. Since then, the wines have only improved. The term Franciacorta can refer not only to the territory, but also the method of production. In recognition of its superior quality, wines from this region using the defined Franciacorta production techniques, were the first to be awarded the quality marking of DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), the highest rating in the Italian quality pyramid.
Within the Baden wine region, there are several distinct wine districts. One of these is the Ortenau, ranging on the east side of the Rhine, between roughly the famous spa town of Baden-Baden and the town of Offenburg to the south. Between these two towns, on an undulating landscape, lies bucolic countryside, punctuated by picturesque wine villages. The rolling hills, which protect the generally south and west-facing vine-covered slopes from too much wind, and the relatively mild and sunny climate, make this one of the best areas for growing grapes in Germany.
