Photo: Derzno, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ahr · Sub-regions
Obere Ahr (Altenahr)
At the upper end of viticulture the valley becomes a rock gorge: the Altenahrer Eck, one of Germany's steepest sites, and the Übigberg cling to the slate above the ruined Are castle. Sermann and the Mayschoß-Altenahr cooperative farm the terraces.
Grape Varieties
Spätburgunder, Frühburgunder
Riesling
Most Famous Site
Altenahrer Eck
Vineyard Area
60 ha
TERROIR PROFILE · Ahr
Obere Ahr (Altenahr) Rock-gorge sites
Upper Ahr: taut, mineral wines from the steepest slate rocks of the valley.
SOILS
Slatemineral, smoky
Slate stores heat and releases it at night — wines show wet stone, smoke and a delicate structure.
CLIMATE · Cool continental
The upper Ahr lies at the upper end of viticulture, in the rain shadow of the Eifel. In the narrow gorge, ripening comes later than in the middle valley.
TOPOGRAPHY · terraced
The Altenahrer Eck and the Übigberg cling as extremely steep rock and slate terraces above the Are castle ruin; walls and stairways shape the sites.
WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS
Typical Flavours of the Region
Spätburgunder
RedFrühburgunder
RedRiesling
WhiteRegion aroma cloud
Ahr overview
This sub-region is part of Ahr. The map shows all 3 sub-regions — Obere Ahr (Altenahr) is highlighted.
Overview
Typical Varieties
Terroir & Climate
Wine Character
The Upper Ahr covers the upper stretch of viticulture around Altenahr, Rech and Mayschoß. Here the valley becomes a deep, narrow gorge in which rock faces and terraces lie close together. The ruined Are castle rises above Altenahr; below it cling the Altenahrer Eck, one of the steepest sites in Germany, and the Übigberg on the slate rock. The Mayschoß-Altenahr cooperative, founded in 1868, is regarded as the oldest winegrowers' cooperative in the world.
The soils consist of Devonian slate and greywacke, farmed on terraces with dry-stone walls. The slate stores the sun's warmth and releases it at night. The climate is mild and dry owing to the rain shadow of the Eifel; the Ahr is among the northernmost red-wine regions in Europe. The flood disaster of 2021 hit the villages and vineyards of this section particularly hard.
Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) dominates, complemented by Frühburgunder and Riesling. The reds are slender, spicy and mineral, with fine acidity. In addition to the Mayschoß-Altenahr cooperative, the Sermann estate shapes the region; many winegrowers work their steep sites by hand.
Soil Type
Devonian slate and greywacke, stony and shallow, on the steep slopes in dry-stone terraces.
Climate
Mild and dry in the rain shadow of the Eifel; the slate rock stores the sun's warmth and releases it at night, so nights in the narrow valley stay mild.
Top sites & producers
3 sitesThe most important classified single vineyards in the region. Classification per VDP (German Prädikat Wine Estates Association) and traditional vineyard registers.
By place (3)
Obere Ahr (Altenahr)3 entries
Sources: VDP, state vineyard registers, Wikipedia vineyard articles, traditional vineyard literature.
Top profiles
1 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list belowAll Wineries
5 resultsWeingut Sermann-Kreuzberg
Ahr · Obere Ahr (Altenahr) · Altenburg
Spätburgunder, Frühburgunder, Riesling
Hotel Weinhaus Kläs & Sohn
Ahr · Obere Ahr (Altenahr) · Mayschoß
Jakob Sebastian Nachf. GmbH & Co.KG
Ahr · Obere Ahr (Altenahr) · Rech a.d. Ahr
Weingut Jean Stodden
Ahr · Obere Ahr (Altenahr) · Rech a.d. Ahr
Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoß-Altenahr
Ahr · Obere Ahr (Altenahr) · Altenburg
Events in Ahr
All events in Ahr →25 Apr – Mon, 26 April 2027
VDP.Weinbörse Mainz
Tasting · Mainz
30 Aug – Tue, 31 August 2027
Preview of the Großes Gewächs wines
Vintage presentation · Wiesbaden
3 Sept – Sun, 12 September 2027
Ahrweiler Winegrowers' Festival
Wine festival · Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
25 Sept – Sun, 31 October 2027
Red Wine Walk on the Ahr
Wine walk · Ahrtal
2 Oct – Sun, 24 October 2027
Mayschoß Wine Festival
Wine festival · Mayschoß
Frequently Asked Questions
What characterises the landscape of the Upper Ahr?
Around Altenahr, Rech and Mayschoß the valley becomes a deep, narrow gorge in which rock faces and terraces lie close together. The ruined castle Are rises above Altenahr.
Which cooperative and sites are known on the Upper Ahr?
The Mayschoß-Altenahr cooperative, founded in 1868, is regarded as the oldest winegrowers' cooperative in the world. Sites include the Altenahrer Eck, one of the steepest sites in Germany, and the Übigberg on slate rock.
Which wines are made on the Upper Ahr?
Spätburgunder dominates, complemented by Frühburgunder and Riesling. The reds are slender, spicy and mineral with fine acidity; many winegrowers work their steep sites by hand.
Which grape varieties define Obere Ahr (Altenahr)?
The key grape varieties in Obere Ahr (Altenahr) are Spätburgunder, Frühburgunder and Riesling. The best-known vineyard is Altenahrer Eck.
What does the terroir of Obere Ahr (Altenahr) taste like?
Soils: Devonian slate and greywacke, stony and shallow, on the steep slopes in dry-stone terraces.. Climate: Mild and dry in the rain shadow of the Eifel; the slate rock stores the sun's warmth and releases it at night, so nights in the narrow valley stay mild.. Together they shape structure, acidity and aromatics – see the terroir profile above.
How many wineries are there in Obere Ahr (Altenahr)?
Cellarmap lists 5 wineries in Obere Ahr (Altenahr) across roughly 60 hectares of vines. Every profile shows location, contact, grape varieties and, where available, vineyards, classification and visitor information.
All wineries in Obere Ahr (Altenahr), A to Z
- Hotel Weinhaus Kläs & Sohn · Mayschoß
- Jakob Sebastian Nachf. GmbH & Co.KG · Rech a.d. Ahr
- Weingut Jean Stodden · Rech a.d. Ahr
- Weingut Sermann-Kreuzberg · Altenburg
- Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoß-Altenahr · Altenburg
📖 Look up in glossary
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