Obere Nahe & Alsenz-Glan

The Upper Nahe comprises the valley around Monzingen and Meddersheim as well as the side valleys of the Alsenz and Glan. The river comes down from the Hunsrück, and the slopes become steeper and narrower than further downstream. Monzingen with the Halenberg and the Frühlingsplätzchen is the centre; smaller wine villages lie in the Glan and Alsenz valleys.

The soils are very varied: blue slate, quartzite and chert characterise the Nahe valley, with Rotliegend added in the Glan valley. The climate is cooler than on the Middle and Lower Nahe; the Hunsrück with the Soonwald holds back precipitation, so the region stays rather dry despite cooler temperatures.

Riesling is the most important variety and on slate yields filigree, taut wines. Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder and Müller-Thurgau stand alongside. The Emrich-Schönleber estate in Monzingen is regarded as the benchmark of the region; Hexamer and Bamberger in Meddersheim and von Racknitz represent the younger generation.