Germany’s off-the-beaten path wine regions

Perched above a fairytale village where flowers bulge over every windowsill, hedges are neatly trimmed, and colorful shutters line the streets are vineyards blanketing such an angular slope that one wrong step could topple you down the grape-strewn hillside. It could be a scene out of "Hansel and Gretel" or Heidi. Instead, I’m in the heart of German wine country where – contrary to popular belief – Riesling is far from the only grape on offer.

Here in the southwestern wine growing region of Baden, I’m sipping a glass of light ruby red Spätburgunder – Germany’s pinot noir. Just within the last twenty years, this luscious red has climbed in popularity, and now not only makes up over a third of Germany’s wine sales, but has established Germany as the third-largest pinot noir producer in the world, behind France and the United States.

Beautiful view of the pilgrimage church in Birnau at Lake Constance with the vines in the foreground with a spectacular sky and clouds. — The Birnau Monestery in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany is typical for this wine region, where centuries-old architecture contrasts with the lush vineyards. TKphotography64 / iStock

That shift is thanks to both domestic demand for pinot and the vagaries of climate change. Shifting weather patterns now allow a slew of grape varieties to grow where they once couldn’t, and as a result roses and dry sparkling wines can easily be found amongst 135 different grape varietals that grow throughout 13 German wine regions. Each of those regions are dotted with charming medieval villages, countless estates and castles, and are certainly not to be missed.

Don’t expect gimmicky, commercialized wineries selling souvenirs, either. Germany’s rustic wineries in Baden and beyond tend to not charge a fee for a tasting, and while it’s often expected that you buy a bottle, most cost around just 8-10 euros, you may find yourself stuffing your suitcase with the spoils of each tasting. If you aren’t sure where to begin, however, start with these 3 lesser-known regions where you can try wine on the Rhine and off the beaten path:

Baden wine country

Most of Baden’s vineyards are situated in a 250-mile stretch of land between the Black Forest and the Rhine. It’s a warm and sunny wine region comparable in climate to France’s Loire Valley. You can expect a wide range of grapes and styles due to the diversity of soil types and microclimates within Baden, not to mention the area’s centuries-old viticultural traditions.

Weingut Schloss Neuweier

From Frankfurt or Stuttgart head south towards in Baden-Baden. The wine barrels at this vineyard come with names like Pura Vida and Eye of the Tiger, monikers meant to reflect the love put into each barrel. Here you’ll find Grand Cru wines dating back to the reign of Queen Victoria, sparkling wines, and even non-alcoholic grape ginger juice grown in view of the glorious Neuweier Castle.

Consider a stay at in Lehen. It’s worth spending the night just to dine at Restaurant Hirschen, which serves dishes like beef cheek, lobster soup, wiener schnitzel, pillowy maultaschen (a ravioli-esque dish) with chanterelles, Black Forest ice cream dessert with tart cherries, all nicely paired with a Roséor Kirchberg Spätburgunder GG from , grown in volcanic soil.

Weingut Ziereisen

At steep sloping vineyards grow atop Jurassic limestone, into which the winery’s cellar cave is dug. As jovial winemaker Hanspeter Ziereisen likes to exclaim, “Work dirty in the cellar with clean grapes.” That’s also the same cellar where guests are greeted by an overhead sound art installation created by German-born kinetic sculptor Trimpin. While you sip, munch on German-style focaccia bread brought to Baden by Italian railroad workers hundreds of years ago.

The bread isn’t the only part of Weingut Ziereisen with a long history. While the vines here are sixty years old, the Ziereisen family have been a part of the village of Efringen-Kirchen since 1734. As you tour the grounds, you can admire the engraved oak barrels from around this same period. Don’t expect riesling here, however. The Ziereisens experiment with syrah and grow plenty of pinot blanc and chardonnay, but their passionate local specialties are the spätburgunder and gutedel – an ancient white grape. The later wines mature up to 24 months in the barrel and another 9 months in the bottle.

Weingut Schneider

The two young brothers responsible for the luscious wines at , including that glittering red glass of spätburgunder, have had family ties to the area since 1492. Savor a complex pinot or gutedel before climbing up into the vineyards to watch a dynamic sunset over Switzerland and France. You can arrange for a jeep ride and picnic lunch amongst the vines near the vineyard’s elegant open-air cottage overlooking the town below.

A wine tour of the Balkans

Weingut Bercher

No trip to German wine country is complete without getting lost in the picture-perfect colorful village of Burkheim. Meander vineyards that sit side by side with a ruined 13th century castle, and find your way to the before arrange for a tasting at . Here, tenth generation winemakers share their 2016 pinot noir – one of the best vintages in decades. Don’t leave without a bottle of the 2017 Grauburgunder GG or the 2016 sweet Spätburgunder dessert wine, either.

Weingut Schloss Ortenberg

In the golden village of Durbach there are twelve wineries including where the winemaker reminds visitors that “great varietals do not have a nationality.” Founded in 1500 and merged with a famous research estate, today you can sample wines a deck with admirable views of Vosges and Alsace. Due to global warming, this area now experiences cold nights and warm days that produce cabernets, merlots and syrahs – and even tempranillos. Nearby, stay overnight and dine at . The hotel’s restaurant with a garden terrace offers freshly prepared dishes with generous portions.

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Red wine dominates this rural, hilly region adjacent to Baden - especially crisp, light trollinger, which is grown almost exclusively in ��ü��ٳٱ𳾲��. Regional reds with more body include the schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier), lemberger, and spätburgunder, while riesling is still the most important white variety. Most vineyards in ��ü��ٳٱ𳾲�� deliver their grapes to about fifty cooperatives which sell about 80% of all the region's wines.

Weingut Dautel

For 500 years, Christian Dautel’s family has been growing grapes at , where the young winemaker works intuitively with each site and varietal. Hugging the Ahr and Nekar Rivers, the nearly-vertical 70-degree slopes require sturdy workers and harvester machines, but the results are sparkling wines, steingrubens (Pinot Noir), and weissburgunders well worth savoring.

A pale dumpling topped with dark brown spices and bright green herbs sits in a pool of golden broth in a large white serving dish on a white table cloth. — Maultaschen is a popular dish you'll find throughout Baden-��ü��ٳٱ𳾲�� wine country, consisting of a ravioli-like dumpling stuffed with smoked meats and spinach and sprinkled with nutmeg, parsley, and other spices. Xu Jian / Getty Images

Bensheim

Experience a traditional lunch at in Bensheim, a short detour from Heidelberg, Manheim, or Frankfurt. Try schnitzel, pork steak, cooked cheese, and homemade sausage in this timbered cottage with wine bar and beer garden. Select a local wine from or for yet another taste of ��ü��ٳٱ𳾲��.

is one of several Michelin star restaurants in the Fellbach area outside of Stuttgart. An extraordinary regional menu boasts beef tartar with truffles, assorted veggies with goat cheese, and maultaschen with chanterelles, well-paired with a 2018 Rose or a 2017 Simonroth Spätburgunder from .

Pfalz

The Pfalz region is sunny and dry, with red and yellow variegated sandstone soils which grow exceptional rieslings. Vineyards bask in the milky-mild light while figs, almond blossoms, chestnuts, and even kiwis bloom. No wonder the Romans and their vines felt at home here thousands of years ago!

Weingut Klundt

Pfalz is the fastest-growing wine region in Germany and the second largest in acreage after Mosel. While it's flush with riesling, plenty of other white grapes flourish here, and reds are on the rise. Those trends are deliciously evident at , where ambitious young winemaker Sven Klundt is making and selling wine with sustainable practices. In this petite wine room, savor a traditional riesling, sparkling Extra Brut, or Pinot Noir Obsession.

Weingut Weegmüller

Since 1685, family-owned , run by two sisters, still operates in the Baroque facilities built in the 1730s in Haardt where white asparagus, grapes, almonds, walnuts, lemons and figs grow too. Sip premier juicy riesling, pinot gris (2016 Grauer Burgunder) or a 2017 Gewürztraminer while ambling through the vines and admiring dramatic hilltop castles.

“Good wine comes from the vineyard. You can have some influence in the cellar,” quips the winemaker manager at , a co-op touting over a 100 wines in their modern tasting room. Shiny tanks and mass production don’t mean a hit in quality here. Rather, you can find an incredible selection of light, dry rieslings, rosés, dry sparkling wines, and pinot noirs at affordable prices.