Photo: Friedrich Haag, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Palatinate · Sub-regions

Mittelhaardt

The heart of the Palatinate: the Mittelhaardt is considered one of the world's finest Riesling terroirs. VDP estates such as Bürklin-Wolf, von Winning, and J.L. Wolf define international excellence here.

187Wineries

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Grape Varieties

Riesling, Spätburgunder

Weißburgunder, Dornfelder

Most Famous Site

Forster Jesuitengarten

Vineyard Area

4.200 ha

Harvest

Late September – October

TERROIR PROFILE · Palatinate

Mittelhaardt Warm climate Riesling + Pinot zone

Mittelhaardt means ripe, dry Rieslings with yellow fruit, substance and strong vineyard character.

☀ Warm · Dry · Sunny⛰ Slope: moderateRieslingWeißburgunderGrauburgunderSpätburgunder

What is terroir? →

SOILS

Sandstonewarm, dry, spicy

Sandstone warms quickly and yields ripe, fragrant wines with yellow fruit and fine spice.

Limestoneprecise, mineral

Limestone delivers tension, structure and a cooler, more mineral character.

Loambody-rich, velvety

Loamy soils give wines volume and a soft, velvety mouthfeel.

Basaltdark, spicy, powerful

Basalt yields darker, spicier, more powerful wines — often with smoky accents.

CLIMATE · Warm · Dry · Sunny

Warm and dry: the Palatinate Forest (Haardt) to the west holds back much of the Atlantic rain, while the Rhine plain opens to the east. Almonds and figs ripen around Deidesheim, and the growing season is long.

TOPOGRAPHY · moderate

Gentle to moderate slopes at the eastern foot of the Haardt, running out into the Rhine plain. Vineyards stretch between Neustadt in the south and Bad Dürkheim in the north; Forst, Deidesheim and Wachenheim lie at the foot of the slope.

WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS

ripe yellow fruitdry stylemedium to full bodystructuredwarm-climate freshnessmineral by soil type

Typical Flavours of the Region

Region aroma cloud

ApplePeachCitrusApricotJasmineSlatePetrol (with age)CherryRaspberryStrawberryVioletForest floorMushroomLeather (with age)PearAcaciaAlmondSour cherry

→ Aroma wheel and variety profiles

Palatinate overview

This sub-region is part of Palatinate. The map shows all 4 sub-regions — Mittelhaardt is highlighted.

Overview

Wineries187

Detailed profiles73

Typical Varieties

Riesling

Spätburgunder

Weißburgunder

Dornfelder

Terroir & Climate

Wine Character

The Mittelhaardt is considered the absolute heart of the Palatinate and one of the world's most renowned Riesling terroirs. Across 4,200 hectares between Neustadt in the south and Bad Dürkheim in the north, wines of exceptional minerality and depth are produced. The famous Grand Cru sites Forster Jesuitengarten, Ungeheuer and Kirchenstück rank among Germany's finest vineyards. The terroir of limestone, basalt and Rotliegendes sandstone combined with an exceptionally mild climate produces Rieslings that can age for decades. VDP estates such as Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Bassermann-Jordan and von Winning set international benchmarks. The villages of Forst, Deidesheim and Wachenheim are pilgrimage sites for wine lovers worldwide.

Soil Type

Limestone, basalt, Rotliegendes sandstone, loess loam

Climate

Exceptionally mild and sunny; over 1,900 sunshine hours; sheltered by the Palatinate Forest

Top profiles

73 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list below

Weingut Müller-Catoir

Pfalz · Mittelhaardt · Neustadt-Haardt

Mittelhaardt

Mittelhaardt Warm climate Riesling + Pinot zone

Typical Flavours of the Region

Riesling

Spätburgunder

Weißburgunder

Dornfelder

Palatinate overview

Overview

Typical Varieties

Terroir & Climate

Wine Character

Soil Type

Climate

Top profiles

Weingut Müller-Catoir

Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

Weingut A. Christmann

Weingut von Winning

Weingut Fitz-Ritter

All Wineries

Weingut Müller-Catoir

Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf

Weingut A. Christmann

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

Weingut von Winning

Weingut Fitz-Ritter

Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan

Weingut Georg Mosbacher

Weingut Pfeffingen

Weingut Acham-Magin

Weingut Kurt Darting

Weingut Eugen Müller

Weingut Geheimrat J. Wegeler Pfalz

Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht

Weingut Karl Schaefer

Weingut Blaul & Sohn

Weingut Karst

Weingut Kohl

Events in Palatinate

Birkweiler Wine Winter

Bad Dürkheim Vineyard Night

Almond Blossom Festival Gimmeldingen

Meininger's Finest 100 – Great Riesling Tasting

VDP.Weinbörse Mainz

Deidesheim Weinkerwe

Frequently Asked Questions

Which sites and estates are known in the Mittelhaardt?

Where is the Mittelhaardt and which villages are known?

What is the climate in the Mittelhaardt and when is the harvest?

Which grape varieties define Mittelhaardt?

How many wineries are there in Mittelhaardt?

All wineries in Mittelhaardt, A to Z

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