Gut Hermannsberg Winery
I've always fancied myself a connoisseur of fine wine and have indulged in all of the great varietals: Wine in a box, wine in a can, wine in a mini bottle, wine with a twist top, and of course, the classic, wine with a cork top. With bursts of cooler weather teasing the promise of fall, I went online searching for a beautiful place to drink wine and explore a new region of Germany with my friend. I stumbled upon Nahe Valley, one of the smaller wine regions at 4155 hectares (just over 10,000 acres), and upon further digging, decided on Gut Hermannsberg.
Views from the deck at Gut Hermannsberg
Gut Hermannsberg was founded in 1902 as the Royal Prussian Wine Domaine and was previously a copper mine. The vineyard credits the ingenuity of civil engineering for its now thriving vines on the slippery slopes. Gut Hermannsberg is known for its world-class Rieslings, with 97% of its grape production Riesling and the other 3% Pinot Blanc. The winery produces 150,000 bottles annually.
2022 Vom Vulkan Riesling, I bought another bottle to bring home
Though I have enjoyed Riesling in the past, I needed to familiarize myself with the German wine market. According to the statistics provided by the Observatory of Economic Complexity, in 2022, Germany ranked 8th in the world for wine exports (4th in the EU), exporting roughly 1.1 billion dollars in wine. The site lists the Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Poland, and Norway (in that order) as the top countries for German wine exports.
Because of Germany's typically cooler climate, it is ideal for growing Riesling and other white grape varieties. According to Deutscher Wein Statistik 2021 / 2022, 67.2% of the grapes grown in Germany are of the white variety, with the remaining 32.8% represented by the red variety. As you can deduce from these numbers, the bulk of wine produced in Germany is of the white variety, with 40% represented by Riesling.
Views of the steep vineyard rows
If you decide to make a trip to the Nahe Valley, it is located an hour outside Frankfurt and two and a half hours from Stuttgart. Gut Hermannsberg is open Tuesday through Sunday, 12-18:00. They have a beautiful tasting room with plenty of seating and a stunning deck with views of the valley and Nahe River (which the valley is named after). You can schedule a tasting in advance through their website, which includes up to ten wines, or enjoy a glass (or bottle) of wine on their deck with a small bite to eat from their snack menu (this is what we did).
Additionally, if you wish to make a weekend of your trip, you can stay at the guesthouse on their property and dine at the restaurant, which is open on Friday and Saturday. They also have special Wine Weekends, where they prepare a five-course dinner and carefully selected wines paired for each course.
If you are searching for a beautiful region of Germany to explore and enjoy wine, the Nahe Valley is a fantastic place. Because it's one of the smallest wine regions in Germany, it is not crowded; locals consider it a hidden gem. No crowds, beautiful vineyards on scenic slopes, and stellar wines make for the perfect getaway.
Website: https://www.gut-hermannsberg.de/
Other Wineries Nearby: Weingnut Jakob Schneider, Weignut Dönnhoff
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 12-18:00
Find this helpful?
Pin it for later!
