FRANKEN
Franken, the hilly region east of Frankfurt, follows the zig-zag of the Main River. Distinctive wines and the Baroque residence in Würzburg make it a mecca for art and wine lovers alike; and Franken wines are distinctive for both the traditional Bocksbeutel - the flat, round-bellied bottle - and the drier styles which prevail. Cool climate and soil types make Riesling the exception and earlier-ripening white grapes, eg Rivaner or Bacchus, the rule. Above all, the region is known for powerful, earthy Silvaner wines. Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Domina, seldom seen elsewhere, are the main red grapes.

WÜRTTEMBERG:
Württemberg is a rural, hilly region adjacent to Baden and south of Franken. Metropolitan Stuttgart and Heilbronn are wine centres, but most of the vineyards are scattered amidst fields and forests throughout the Neckar River Valley. Red wine predominates and ranges from crisp, light Trollinger - the 'Swabian national drink' - to wines with more colour, body and substance e.g. Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier) and Lemberger. Riesling is by far the most important white variety, followed by Kerner, a crossing which has affinities with Riesling.

BADEN:
Warm and sunny Baden, the southernmost German region, stretches some 400km (240 miles) along the Rhine from the Bodensee (Lake Constance) to Heidelberg, taking in the Black Forest, as well as the vine-clad terraces of the Kaiserstuhl, a volcanic massif. As in neighbouring Alsace and Switzerland, Baden has a great tradition of wine and food. Dry, food-compatible 'Burgunders' (Pinots), red and white, have long been popular throughout the region. Rivaner vineyards are also widespread, while other classic whites e.g. Riesling, Silvaner and Gutedel, are more localised.

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Nahe

The Nahe region is named after the river that traverses the valleys of the forested Hunsrück Hills as it gently flows toward Bingen on the Rhine. It is a peaceful landscape of vineyards, orchards and meadows interspersed with cliffs and striking geological formations.

Although the Nahe is one of the smaller German wine regions, its extraordinary range of soil types is second to none. For this reason, the region is able to produce quite diverse wines from relatively few grape varieties. The steeper sites of volcanic or weathered stone, and those with red, clayish slate seem predestined for elegant, piquant Riesling wines of great finesse and a light spiciness, while flatter sites of loam, loess and sandy soils yield lighter, fragrant Müller-Thurgau (Rivaner) wines with a flowery note. The Silvaner grape thrives in a number of soils and produces full-bodied, earthy wines.

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Mosel

The valleys of the Mosel River and its tributaries, the Saar and the Ruwer (pronounced Roo-vair), are the setting for some of Germany's most beautiful and romantic wine country. From Perl, as the 'three-country' corner of France, Luexmbourg and Germany, the Mosel flows for 242km (145 miles) to join the Rhein at Koblenz. The Saar and the Ruwer rivers flow into the Mosel near the weg trails on both sides of the Mosel. Or savour the landscape and its wines on a leisurley river cruise.

Scores of wine-related artifacts and press houses unearthed throughout the region bear witness to 2,000 years of viticulture in the area. Another vestige of Roman times is the Elbling grape, now grown primarily in the shell-limestone soils facing Luxembourg. The wines are neutral, with a healthy acidity well-suited for sparkling production.

The Mosel, with nearly 9,800ha (24,285 acres) of vines, is Germany's fourth largest winegrowing region, but number one in terms of Riesling vines (5,523 hectares/ 13, 650 acres). In the Saar and Ruwer valleys, and from Trier to Koblenz, the Riesling grape and slaty soil team up to yield wines of incomparable delicacy, yet remarkable expression. These are fragrant white wines, rich in acidity and fruit flavours, often with a mineral undertone. The very finest gracefully age into sought after rarities that fetch legendary prices at auction.

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