Photo: Symposiarch, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rheinhessen · Sub-regions

Wonnegau

The Wonnegau is Rheinhessen's southernmost sub-region, bordering the Palatinate, and is known for powerful red and white wines. Estates like Peth-Wetz have made a splash internationally here.

148Wineries

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Grape Varieties

Riesling, Spätburgunder

Cabernet Sauvignon, Silvaner

Most Famous Site

Westhofener Rotenstein

Vineyard Area

3.200 ha

Harvest

September – October

TERROIR PROFILE · Rheinhessen

Wonnegau Loess paradise with warm fruit

Wonnegau means juicy, full-bodied Rieslings and Silvaner — Wittmann, Keller, Battenfeld-Spanier.

☀ Warm · Dry · Sunny⛰ Slope: gentleRieslingSilvanerSpätburgunderWeißburgunder

What is terroir? →

SOILS

Loessround, fruity, full

Loess stores water and nutrients. Wines tend to be rounder, juicier and fuller.

Limestoneprecise, mineral

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

Marlbalanced, structured

Marl is a mix of limestone and clay — yields structured, balanced wines with acidity backbone.

Loambody-rich, velvety

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

CLIMATE · Warm · Dry · Sunny

Warm and dry in the lee of the Hunsrück and Palatinate Forest; the Wonnegau is the warmest part of Rheinhessen and climatically close to the neighbouring Pfalz. The Rhine near Worms tempers extremes.

TOPOGRAPHY · gentle

Gentle rolling hills west of Worms with broad valley floors and rounded crests, without marked steep sites. The great Westhofen sites Morstein and Kirchspiel stand on limestone ridges above the loess areas.

WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS

ripe juicy fruitfull bodysoft aciditydry or off-dryPinot with depth

Typical Flavours of the Region

Region aroma cloud

ApplePeachCitrusApricotJasmineSlatePetrol (with age)CherryRaspberryStrawberryVioletForest floorMushroomLeather (with age)BlackcurrantBlackberryCedarwoodGraphite

→ Aroma wheel and variety profiles

Rheinhessen overview

This sub-region is part of Rheinhessen. The map shows all 6 sub-regions — Wonnegau is highlighted.

Overview

Wineries148

Detailed profiles66

Typical Varieties

Riesling

Spätburgunder

Cabernet Sauvignon

Silvaner

Terroir & Climate

Wine Character

The Wonnegau stretches across southern Rheinhessen between Alzey and the Palatinate border. The region benefits from a particularly warm, dry climate with a noticeable influence from the neighbouring Palatinate. Limestone and loess soils alternate with deep weathered loam. Riesling, Pinot Noir and international red varieties thrive here. Weingut Peth-Wetz in Bermersheim is the best-known flagship – with an internationally inspired style shaped by stints in Chile, Australia and the USA. Other renowned estates work with sustainability concepts and focus on terroir-driven wines with high ageing potential.

Soil Type

Limestone, loess loam, weathered loam, warm soils favour red varieties

Climate

Warm and dry; of all Rheinhessen sub-regions most strongly influenced by the Palatinate

Top profiles

66 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list below

Weingut Keller

Rheinhessen · Wonnegau · Flörsheim-Dalsheim

Wonnegau

Wonnegau Loess paradise with warm fruit

Typical Flavours of the Region

Riesling

Spätburgunder

Cabernet Sauvignon

Silvaner

Rheinhessen overview

Overview

Typical Varieties

Terroir & Climate

Wine Character

Soil Type

Climate

Top profiles

Weingut Keller

Weingut Wittmann

Sekthaus Raumland

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier

Weingut Schales

Weingut Scherner-Kleinhanß

All Wineries

Weingut Keller

Weingut Wittmann

Sekthaus Raumland

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier

Weingut Schales

Weingut Bert Wechsler Erben

Weingut Scherner-Kleinhanß

Weingut Winter

Strauch Weingut

Weingut Karl-May

Weingut Peth-Wetz

Weingut Spiess

Weingut Spindler-Möllinger

Weingut Karl-Hermann Milch

Weingut Axel Müller

Weingalerie Kaltenthaler

Weingut Müller Dr. Becker

Weingut Dietmar Ziegler

Events in Rheinhessen

Mainz Weinsalon

VDP.Weinbörse Mainz

Rheinhessen Wine Walk Roter Hang

Oppenheim Wine Festival

Mainz Wine Market

Nahe Wine Festival Bingen (Winzerfest)

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Wonnegau?

Which estate is known in the Wonnegau?

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

Which grape varieties define Wonnegau?

How many wineries are there in Wonnegau?

Which is the most famous vineyard in Wonnegau?

All wineries in Wonnegau, A to Z

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