Ahr Valley wine-growing region: paradise for red wines
The Ahr wine-growing region is the largest contiguous region for red wine cultivation in all of Germany. Around 65% of the vineyards in the Ahr Valley are used to grow red grape varieties. Above all, the Pinot Noir from the Ahr Valley is popular everywhere. The wines from the region are among the top wines in Germany in every vintage. Get to know the Ahr region, its history of viticulture and the consequences of the field in 2021 in this article!
Manual work since time immemorial in viticulture in the Ahr Valley
The Romans are said to have cultivated wine in the Ahr Valley before the year 0 and harvested it by hand. However, the first official documents confirming viticulture in the Ahr Valley date back to the 8th century AD. Since then, mainly white grape varieties have been cultivated in the Ahr Valley. Only after the Thirty Years’ War did red wine cultivation begin in the Ahr wine-growing region. The Burgundy of that time was processed like a white wine. He was pale pink and was called Ahrbleichert.
The mild climate in the Ahr wine region
The Ahr Valley stretches along the Ahr for about 20 km in the north of Rhineland-Palatinate. The area is characterized by many steep slopes, which means that machines are rarely used and much of the wine is harvested by hand. In the upper region between Altenahr and Marienthal, weathered slate soils prevail in the narrow valley areas. Here, vineyards stretch almost to the river.
In the lower region between Walporzheim and Heimersheim there are mainly loess loam soils. In summer, the heat builds up between the slopes in the Ahr Valley, where the nutrient-rich volcanic soil is ideal for storing heat. This creates a very mild climate, similar to that of the Mediterranean, which is favorable for the cultivation of red wine. The deep loess soils of the lower Artal offer ideal conditions for the cultivation of white wines.
Viticulture after the flood in the Ahr Valley
The tidal wave in 2021 did not go unnoticed by the winegrowers in the Ahr Valley: Many floors, tools, machines and already bottled wines were lost. About 10% of the vineyards in the valley were lost as a result of the disaster. Marked by the flood, the individual flood wines from the 2021 harvest, which are still in the bottles, are sold as rarities. After the reconstruction of the infrastructure, many organizations are now dedicating themselves to helping the reconstruction of tourism and wineries, which represent the livelihood of some residents of the Ahr Valley.
Grape varieties from the Ahr wine-growing region
Pinot Noir and red grape varieties in particular are popular grapes from the Ahr wine-growing region. Otherwise, other grape varieties are also cultivated with great care in the Ahr Valley:
- Frühburgunder
- Riesling
- Pinot Blanc
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Portuguese
- Dornfelder
- Chardonnay
- Sylvaner
Many a wine drinker who finds red wine too tart will count themselves lucky with velvety Ahr wines. The Pinot Noir is light, with very little tannin and has a particularly soft, fruity character. When fully mature, he can develop an exceptional temperament. The elegant style of the Portuguese is mostly light and pleasing. But white wine is also not neglected in the Ahr Valley, in addition to the large red wine production: Refreshing white wines in particular are grown on the deep loess soils of the lower Ahr Valley. Here you will find sparkling, sparkling Rieslings as well as light, spicy Müller-Thurgau.
Help the Ahr Valley: The Ahrtal Store
If you also want to help the Ahr Valley to rebuild all the wineries and infrastructure after the flood and to provide people with the tools they need, you can do so via the Ahr Valley Store. Show how beautiful SolidAHRity can be!
The unique collection of different Ahr Valley products ranges from fashion and souvenirs to complete gift arrangements. You can also buy the popular Ahr wines from the Ahr Valley Store online shop. Here you will find everything from red wine to Rosé and white wine to sparkling wine. Discover the Ahr winemakers and find the best wine. Try the powerful liqueur based on the recipe from the Ahr Valley!
Proceeds and donations from the online shop benefit the Ahr Valley tourism and thus also all member companies. Many products are purchased from local businesses or, for example, artists and photographers from the Ahr Valley are commissioned to create postcards and calendars in order to support the Ahr Valley’s economy.