What I Learned
The area around the Nahe River, a tributary to the Rhine, is one of Germany’s 13 wine regions. It roughly begins at Bad Sobernheim, and ends at Bingen on the Rhine, just where the Mittel Rhein starts to narrow dramatically. Along the relatively short length of the Nahe River, there is a great deal of variety in the soil composition. In addition to the slate and red sandstone, not uncommon in this western part of Germany, there is porphyry, quartz and melaphyr (a type of basalt).
As a result, many of the vineyards are named. Each can produce in very different wines, within close proximity. For example, I tried 2015 Rieslings from the Loehrer Berg, and the Krone. Each was quite distinctive, even to me. Yet the vineyards on small slope of vineyards to the northeast of Langenlonsheim, are within meters of each other. The winery (the Tesch), with its collection of single vineyard Rieslings, had a nice display of the soils, side by side, along with notes on the different soils and expositions of these neighboring vineyards: loam versus loess and sandstone, respectively. It was the most effective all-sensory expression of terroirs I have ever encountered.
The grape varietals grown in the Nahe Wine Region are mostly (about 75%) white varietals. Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau and Silvaner top the list. But Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc can also be on offer from local wine producers. The remaining 25% of the grape harvest is of red varietals, such as Dornfelder, Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), and Regent. From personal observation, there seems to be more semi-dry and sweet wines in this region than I have found elsewhere in general.
What I Tasted
2014 Riesling, Unplugged; Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Tesch: A dry white wine with a light medium gold color; a citrus nose, with citrus, peach and floral flavors, slight mineral aftertaste. High acidity.
2015 Riesling, Loeher Berg, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Tesch: A dry white wine with light gold color; a slightly mineral and earthy nose, with white fruits (apple and grape) flavors; mild acidity.
2015 Riesling, Krone, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Tesch: A dry white wine with light plus gold color; a white stone fruits nose, with a hint of turpentine, with peach, dried herb and honey flavors; medium plus acidity.