Rheingau is one of the best wine regions of Germany. The river Rhine has a significant influence, is extra wide and acts as a mirror. The city Geisenheim has the important wine research institute and university where new varieties such as Müller-Thurgau are developed. The morning mist in autumn in the Rheingau is a major cause of noble rot (Edelfäule) and delivers many noble sweet wines. The best and most expensive noble sweet wines come from Rauenthal and Kiedrich near Eltville.

In the Rheingau you will especially find Riesling wines with a elegant, ripe and fruity taste and a distinct acidity. Only in the vineyards around the village Ausmannshausen Pinot Noir grape (Spätburgunder) is planted. It produces wines that are relatively expensive and are  disposed mainly in Germany. In tourist town Rüdesheim you will not only find a cable  which will let you fly over the vineyards, but also the distillery Asbach Uralt which produces the famous Weinbrand (brandy). A little further away you will find Schloss Johannisberg with wonderful Rieslings, that is if you let them ripen a few years. Even further away is the famous Schloß Vollrads then Eberbach Abbey in 1136.

Premier Cru in the Rheingau
In the Rheingau they use the world famous French Premier Cru system rather than the classification of German wines like Erstes Gewächs.

Großlagen of the Rheingau with thepremium vineyards
• Steil with Lorcher Kappellenberg
• Burgweg with Assmannshäuser
• Gottesthal with Höllenberg
• Honigberg with Rüdesheimer Berg
• Heiligenstock with Schloßberg, Schloß Johannisberg, Winkeler Hasensprung, Schloß Vollrads, Hattenheimer, Nußbrunnen, Rauenthaler, Nonnenberg and Hochheimer Hölle.gf