Rheinhessen Facts

The Rheinhessen, south of the Nahe region and across the Rhine from the Rheingau, happens to be Germany's largest wine producing region: more than 26,000 hectares of land. The region was once known primarily as the birthplace of Liebfraumilch, the semi-sweet white wine most prominently represented by Blue Nun. Now that Blue Nun and its analogues have became the subject of derision across the wine world, quality-minded producers in the Rheinhessen have moved away from Liebfraumulich production. Few want to taint their reputation through association with sweet yet insipid plonk. Instead, the region is now better known for its high volume of interesting wines from flatlands and grape crossings than it is for its handful of top Riesling sites. But the latter--particularly the steep red shale slopes down to the Rhine--are justly famous.