Hessische Bergstraße: The Spring Garden

Hessische Bergstraße

The Hessische Bergstraße is Germany’s smallest wine region, with 463 hectares. The Romans called this 40-kilometer stretch between Darmstadt and Heidelberg the Strata Montana (mountain road). Most vineyards are in Bensheim and Heppenheim, with a small portion east of Darmstadt making up the Umstadt Bereich. Hessische Bergstraße’s other Bereich, Starkenburg, covers the remainder of the region. Hessische Bergstraße is warmer than the Rheingau, with a climate closer to the Pfalz and the wines are similar in style to Hochheim with lower acidity. The Odenwald hills provide shelter from rainfall, and the soils vary from sandstone to loess-loam and weathered granite in Bensheim. The region is 79% white and 21% red, with Riesling as the main variety (37.4%), followed by Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder, Weißburgunder, and Silvaner. Cooperatives play an essential role in Hessische Bergstraße, controlling around 90% of the vineyards, and the 500-member Bergsträßer Winzer co-op produces more than half the area’s production. Weingut Simon-Bürkle is a leading producer with their Granit and Diorit Rieslings at the top level. Sektkellerei Griesel & Compagnie is a standout sparkling producer, arguably one of Germany's very best. There are 23 Einzellagen, including the VDP.Grosse Lage Heppenheimer Centgericht, a Monopolage of the VDP.Domäne Bergstraße (Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach). Stemmler and Steinkopf are other top sites. The wines are local favorites, and very little finds their way to the export market.