Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

165

Discovering German Wines

Wine labels reveal much about the

style and quality of German wine.

Dry wines are labeled Trocken, semi-

dry or slightly sweet wines are

Halbtrocken, and sweet wines are

Lieblich. Kabinett refers to a wine made

with fully-ripened grapes; Spätlese

means wine made from late-picked

grapes, while Auslese, Beerenauslese,

Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese are

made with grapes picked progres-

sively later, producing intense flavor

and longevity. Many, though not

all, quality wines display the symbol

of the VDP ( Verband Deutscher

Prädikatswein), whose members

include several of the nation’s

top wine growers.

Above left Outdoor café, Nierstein Above

right Village gate of Nackenheim

DRIVE 15: The German Wine Route

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

i Westhofen
Rhineland-Palatinate; 67593
Enjoying a pretty setting, the

vineyards surround ing the village
of Westhofen are dotted with stone
huts. These are character is tic of
Rheinhessen’s wine-growing country,
and were originally built by vine yard
workers to provide shelter during
bad weather. Weingut Wittmann
(Mainzer Strasse 19; 06244 90 50 36; http://www.
weingutwittmann.de; open Mon–Fri, by
appointment) produces top-notch dry
Rieslings using organic methods.
ª Leave Westhofen along Mainzer
Strasse, heading toward Mainz.

p Nackenheim
Rhineland-Palatinate; 55299
Nackenheim is closely associated
with the German playwright Carl

Zuckmayer, who was born here in

1896. Nestled between vine-covered
      slopes and the Rhine, the village
      has a long history of producing
      wine. The long-established Weingut
      Gunderloch (Carl-Gunderloch-Platz 1,

o Mainz
Rhineland-Palatinate; 55116
The capital of Rheinland-Pfalz, Mainz
(see pp154–55) is dominated by the
late Romanesque Kaiserdom (open
daily). The magni ficence of this
imperial cathedral reflects the
importance of the Prince-Bishops of
Mainz, who were Electors of the Holy
Roman Empire. The cathedral was
burned down the day before its
consecration in 1009 and again in

1081. It was rebuilt in the first quarter
      of the 12th cen tury. Mainz was also

the birth place of print ing pioneer
Johannes Gutenberg. Exhibits in the
Gutenberg-Museum (closed Mon)
include a price less Gutenberg Bible
printed in Mainz in 1455.
ª Leave Mainz along Rheinstrasse,
following signs to Laubenheim. At
Laubenheim continue through
Bodenheim to Nackenheim.

VISITING MAINZ

Parking

The Karstadt multi-story parking lot

in Weissliliengasse is convenient

for visit ing the Kaiserdom and

Gutenberg-Museum.

Tourist Information

Brückenturm am Rathaus, 55116; 06131

28 62 10; http://www.tourist.mainz.de; open

daily; closed on public hols

EAT AND DRINK

FREINSHEIM

Freinsheimer Hof expensive

Terracotta tiles and a vaulted ceiling

provide a Mediterranean setting for

this restau rant’s sophisticated cooking.

Breite Strasse 7, 67251; 06353 50 804 10;

http://www.restaurant-freinsheimer-hof.de;

closed Wed, Thu

Luther expensive

This renowned restaurant, named for

chef-proprietor Dieter Luther, serves

creative haute cuisine such as venison

with gingerbread crust or goose liver

with fig chutney and honey dumplings.

Hauptstrasse 29, 67251; 06353 93 480;

http://www.luther-freinsheim.de; open Mon–

Sat; closed Jan

NACKENHEIM

St. Gereon moderate

Beautifully scrubbed stonework

and timber beams create a country

setting for this restaurant’s European

menu. There are several options for

vegetarians and an excellent

selection of wines.

Carl-Zuckmayer-Platz 3, 55299;

06135 70 45 90; http://www.landhotel-st-

gereon.com

AROUND NIERSTEIN

Jordan’s Untermühle moderate

An award-winning restaurant in

Köngernheim, Jordan’s Untermühle

with a good selection of wines.

Ausserhalb 1, 55278 Köngernheim

(west of Nierstein); 06737 710 00;

http://www.jordans-untermuehle.de

a Nierstein

Rhineland-Palatinate; 55283

Shuttered, half-timbered houses and

Strausswirtschaften – temporary wine

taverns run by the wine growers –

characterize Nierstein. The village is

famed for its Riesling and is focused

on its central Marktplatz. Visitors can

follow the signs on a 14-km (8-miles)

walk, the Drei Türme Wanderweg or

Three Towers Walk (www.nierstein.de),

which heads up into the vineyards of

the Roter Hang above the village for

views over the Rhine and the

surrounding country side.

ª Continue south on the B9

to Oppenheim, then turn right on to

Mainzstrasse and follow signs to

Zentral Park-Platz to park.

06135 23 41; http://www.gunderloch.de;

open Mon–Sat) produces traditional

sweet wines of exceptional quality

and some fine dry Rieslings.

ª Leave Nackenheim on the Wormser

Strasse, which joins the B9. Continue on

the B9 to Nierstein, then turn left on to

Pestalozzistrasse to the parking lot.

to the Deutsches Weintor at the
south ern end of the route. The
building spans the road and
contains a restau rant and tourist
information office.
ª Continue along the B271
Weinstrasse to Flörsheim, turning
right toward Westhofen.