Regions

Nahe

Key German Terms

A compact German wine region of remarkable geological diversity, where Riesling leads and, in Jancis Robinson's words, the best wines often manage to "combine the raciness of the best Mosel with the substance of the best Rheingaus".

The Nahe is one of Germany's 13 official wine regions, covering 4,166 hectares, according to the German Wine Institute's (DWI) 2025 figure. Its vineyards follow the Nahe and its tributaries, the Glan and the Alsenz, sheltered from cold winds by the Hunsrück, and the DWI says the region contains the entire rock cycle. In the DWI's 2023 statistics, 77% of the vineyard was white varieties and Riesling led on 1,244 hectares, 29.3% of the total.

History

The DWI writes that winegrowing has shaped the landscape along the Nahe for 2,000 years and that, according to sources, it was the Romans who brought viticulture to the Nahe valley. Weinland Nahe e.V., the regional wine body, cites wine glasses and pruning knives in the Römerhalle in Bad Kreuznach that document wine drinking in the palatial Roman villas. From the early Middle Ages, it says, monasteries practised systematic viticulture on the Nahe, and the oldest record it cites, a Lorsch Abbey document of 766, names the village of Norheim. The DWI, writing about Schlossböckelheim, notes a 1128 property list of the Rupertsberg monastery that records vineyards in the community of Böckelheim. Weinland Nahe names the "Monziger Feuerwein" (around 1500) as the region's first export wine, loaded onto Rhine ships with the Bingen crane. At Disibodenberg in Odernheim, five White Orleans vines discovered in 2008 were shown by research to be probably the oldest grapevines in Germany, according to the DWI. In 1901 the Prussian state began buying steep slopes along the Nahe and founded the Weinbaudomäne Niederhausen-Schlossböckelheim, where the first Riesling was planted in 1903; the estate is today Gut Hermannsberg. The Nahe became an independent wine region only in 1971; before this, its wine was marketed as Rhine wine.

The DWI says winegrowing has shaped the Nahe landscape for 2,000 years, with viticulture brought by the Romans according to sources
A Lorsch Abbey document of 766 names the village of Norheim, per Weinland Nahe e.V.
The Prussian state domain at Niederhausen-Schlossböckelheim, founded in 1901, is today Gut Hermannsberg (DWI)
An independent wine region since 1971, previously marketed as Rhine wine (Weinland Nahe e.V.)

Key Facts

The DWI gives the Nahe 4,166 hectares of vineyard in 2025; its 2024/2025 statistics put the region at 4,249 hectares in 2023
One of the 13 specified wine regions (bestimmte Anbaugebiete) named in Section 3 of the German Wine Act (Weingesetz)
An independent wine region since 1971; before that its wine was marketed as Rhine wine, according to Weinland Nahe e.V.
The DWI says the region contains the entire rock cycle: igneous (volcanic), sedimentary (sandstone, clay, limestone) and metamorphic (slate) rock
77% white and 23% red varieties in 2023, with Riesling on 1,244 hectares (29.3%), per the DWI's 2024/2025 statistics
Divided into 1 district (Bereich), 7 collective vineyard sites (Grosslagen) and more than 300 individual sites, per the DWI
Weinland Nahe e.V. says vineyards line the Nahe from Martinstein to its mouth at the Rhine at Bingen, and the tributaries Ellerbach, Guldenbach, Gräfenbach, Glan and Alsenz

Geography and Climate

The Nahe rises in the Saarland southwest of the Bostalsee and flows into the Rhine at Bingen after 120 kilometres, separating the Hunsrück from the North Palatinate Uplands (Nordpfälzer Bergland), according to Weinland Nahe e.V. The DWI places the region in the Hunsrück Hills between the Rhine and Mosel valleys, with vineyards on or near the banks of the Nahe and its tributaries, the Glan and the Alsenz, and along the streams north and west of Bad Kreuznach (Gräfenbach, Guldenbach, Trollbach and Ellerbach); its major towns are Bad Kreuznach, Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg and Bad Sobernheim. Sheltered from cold winds by the Hunsrück, the region benefits from mild temperatures and abundant sunshine in what the DWI calls a dry and sunny valley, and the DWI sums up its climate as "Mild and balanced, with relatively little frost." Weinland Nahe describes a balanced, mild, low-rainfall climate with a contrast along the river: on the lower Nahe between Bingen and Bad Kreuznach, Burgundy varieties and demanding red varieties do particularly well, with high must weights and moderate acidity, while on the upper Nahe and its side valleys cooler air from the Soonwald/Hunsrück and the North Palatinate Uplands delays ripening, which it says benefits Riesling's aroma and acid structure. The VDP calls the region relatively cool but notes that many vineyards have a significantly warmer microclimate from their south-southwest orientation, protected location and the influence of the Nahe, and Decanter's Anna Lee Iijima (2025) writes that the Nahe is often surprisingly cooler than vineyards in the Mosel or the Rheingau. Near Traisen, the VDP.Grosse Lage Bastei is nestled along the Rotenfels, a red stone massif that the VDP describes as, at 200 metres, the highest and steepest face between the Alps and Scandinavia. The Naheweinstrasse, opened in 1971, links 35 wine villages on a 130-kilometre circuit, per Weinland Nahe. Jancis Robinson writes that vine-growing in the region is going out of fashion owing to the high costs involved.

The Nahe flows 120 kilometres from the Saarland to the Rhine at Bingen (Weinland Nahe e.V.)
Vineyards follow the Nahe, the Glan and the Alsenz and the streams north and west of Bad Kreuznach (DWI)
Sheltered from cold winds by the Hunsrück; the DWI's climate summary is mild and balanced, with relatively little frost
The lower Nahe suits Burgundy and red varieties; on the cooler upper Nahe, later ripening benefits Riesling, per Weinland Nahe e.V.

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Soils

The DWI says the Nahe region is unique in that it contains the entire rock cycle: igneous (volcanic) rocks, sedimentary rocks (sandstone, clay, limestone) and metamorphic rocks (slate), and that vines thrive on slate, volcanic porphyry, loess and loam. Weinland Nahe e.V. counts more than 180 different soil formations, left by volcanic eruptions and major earth movements where the Rhenish Slate Mountains, the Nahe hill country, the North Palatinate Uplands and outliers of the Mainz Basin meet. The VDP maps the pattern: Devonian rock such as phyllite, green slate and quartzite on the lower Nahe between Wallhausen and Bingerbrück; sandstone of the Oberrotliegend over the predominant part of the region; blue and red slate near Monzingen; and weathered volcanic stone most common between Bad Münster and Schlossböckelheim. Weinland Nahe describes the porphyry of the middle Nahe as dark red-brown rock, the remains of lava flows about 290 million years ago.

Igneous (volcanic), sedimentary (sandstone, clay, limestone) and metamorphic (slate) rock all occur, per the DWI
More than 180 different soil formations, per Weinland Nahe e.V.
Lower Nahe: phyllite, green slate and quartzite; around Monzingen: blue and red slate (VDP)
Weathered volcanic stone is most common between Bad Münster and Schlossböckelheim (VDP)

Grape Varieties and Wine Styles

The DWI's 2024/2025 statistics put the Nahe at 4,249 hectares in 2023, 77% white and 23% red. Riesling led with 1,244 hectares (29.3%), followed by Müller-Thurgau with 469 hectares (11.0%), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) with 396 hectares (9.3%), Dornfelder with 377 hectares (8.9%), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc) with 333 hectares (7.8%) and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) with 299 hectares (7.0%). The DWI's current regional profile, which gives the 2025 vineyard as 4,166 hectares, puts Riesling at 1,225 hectares and the Pinot varieties at 1,107. Weinland Nahe e.V. adds that aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Scheurebe are enjoying a new upswing, and that among reds Dornfelder comes first, followed by Spätburgunder, Regent and Portugieser. On style, Jancis Robinson writes that the best wines often manage to "combine the raciness of the best Mosel with the substance of the best Rheingaus" and that the vineyards around its important wine centres focus on zesty dry and off-dry Riesling, with some fine sweet wines as well; Weinland Nahe calls the Rieslings of the cooler upper Nahe racy, fruity and slender. Of the 268,000 hectolitres that passed quality testing in 2023, 114,000 were dry, 54,000 off-dry and 99,000 mild or sweet, per the DWI's 2024/2025 statistics.

Riesling covered 1,244 hectares (29.3%) in 2023, per the DWI's 2024/2025 statistics
Müller-Thurgau (11.0%), Grauburgunder (9.3%) and Weißburgunder (7.8%) followed in 2023
Dornfelder (8.9%) and Spätburgunder (7.0%) were the leading red varieties in 2023
Wine passing quality testing in 2023: 114,000 hl dry, 54,000 hl off-dry, 99,000 hl mild or sweet (DWI statistics)

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Classification and Producers

Classification ladders

Ripeness scale

German Prädikat

Germany Full article 6 tiers, lowest to highest

6 Trockenbeerenauslese

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), the pinnacle, requires a minimum of 150°Oe from individually selected, botrytis-shrivelled, raisin-like berries.

min 150 Oe150-154°Oe

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), the pinnacle, requires a minimum of 150°Oe from individually selected, botrytis-shrivelled, raisin-like berries.

From German Prädikatswein Classification
5 Eiswein

Eiswein, at the same ripeness level as Beerenauslese (minimum 110-128°Oe), requires only healthy, botrytis-free grapes frozen naturally on the vine to at least -7 degrees Celsius and pressed while frozen.

min 110 Oeharvested at minus 7 degrees Celsius or colder

Eiswein, at the same ripeness level as Beerenauslese (minimum 110-128°Oe), is unique in that it requires only healthy, botrytis-free grapes frozen naturally on the vine to at least -7 degrees Celsius; the ice concentrates sugars and acids to produce wines of extraordinary purity and freshness.

From German Prädikatswein Classification
4 Beerenauslese

Beerenauslese (BA) requires 110-128°Oe by region and grapes must be individually hand-selected overripe berries typically affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea).

min 110 Oe110-128°Oe by region

Beerenauslese (BA) requires 110-128°Oe by region; grapes must be individually hand-selected overripe berries typically affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), producing intensely sweet, honey-laced wines that age for decades.

From German Prädikatswein Classification
3 Auslese

Auslese ('selected harvest') requires 83-100°Oe, with grapes hand-selected from very ripe bunches, sometimes touched by botrytis.

min 83 Oe83 to 100 degrees Oechsle

Auslese ('selected harvest') requires 83-100°Oe; grapes are hand-selected from very ripe bunches, sometimes touched by botrytis, and can range from off-dry to lusciously sweet.

From German Prädikatswein Classification
2 Spätlese

Spätlese, meaning 'late harvest,' requires a minimum of 76-90°Oe, with the grapes picked after the main harvest.

min 76 Oe

Spätlese, meaning 'late harvest,' requires a minimum of 76-90°Oe; the grapes are picked after the main harvest and tend to show richer, more concentrated flavors, though they too can be vinified dry.

From German Prädikatswein Classification
1 Kabinett

Kabinett is the entry level of Prädikatswein, made from fully ripened grapes at 67-82°Oe depending on region.

min 67 Oe67-82°Oe depending on region

Kabinett is the entry level of Prädikatswein, made from fully ripened grapes at 67-82°Oe depending on region.

From German Prädikatswein Classification

A Prädikat indicates the ripeness of grapes at harvest, not the sugar remaining in the wine; Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese can all be vinified fully dry.
Eiswein was used in conjunction with other Prädikate before 1982, when it became its own independent category.
There are no upper ripeness limits for any Prädikat level, so a producer may harvest at Spätlese ripeness but label the wine as Kabinett.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from German Prädikatswein Classification own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Geographic tiers

German Wine Quality Categories

Germany Full article 4 tiers, lowest to highest

4 Prädikatswein

Prädikatswein, the top tier, cannot be chaptalized and must meet specific minimum Oechsle readings depending on region and grape variety.

100% from named areaKabinett 70 - 85, Spätlese 76 - 95, Auslese 83 - 105, Beerenauslese and Eiswein 110 - 128, Trockenbeerenauslese 150 - 154 Oechsle

Prädikatswein, the top tier, cannot be chaptalized and must meet specific minimum Oechsle readings depending on region and grape variety.

From German Wine Classification
3 Qualitätswein

Qualitätswein must originate entirely from one of Germany's 13 designated regions and is wine with a protected designation of origin that has passed an official analytical and sensory quality examination, with chaptalization permitted.

100% from named area

Qualitätswein must originate entirely from one of Germany's 13 designated regions and accounts for the vast majority of German production.

From German Wine Classification, read from two or more sentences
2 Landwein

Landwein, equivalent to a protected geographical indication, requires at least 85 percent of grapes from the named region.

85% from named area

Landwein, equivalent to a protected geographical indication, requires at least 85 percent of grapes from the named region.

From German Wine Classification
1 Deutscher Wein

Deutscher Wein is the basic table wine category requiring only that grapes be grown in Germany, with a minimum of 8.5% alcohol and total acidity of at least 3.5 g/l and no geographic designation required on the label.

minimum 8.5% alcohol and total acidity of at least 3.5 g/l

At the base sits Deutscher Wein, the basic table wine category requiring only that grapes be grown in Germany.

From German Wine Classification, read from two or more sentences

The Prädikat describes ripeness at harvest, not sweetness in the finished wine; wines up to and including Auslese can be vinified dry, off-dry, or sweet.
The top category was known as Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) until officially renamed Prädikatswein on August 1, 2007.
The 2021 Wine Law, in force from 27 January 2021 and binding from the 2026 vintage, added a parallel geographic pyramid of Anbaugebiet, Region, Ortswein and Lagenwein.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from German Wine Classification own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Geographic tiers

VDP Classification

Germany Full article 5 tiers, lowest to highest

5 Grosses Gewächs Grosses Gewächs (GG)

The article names this tier without stating its criteria.

Grosses Gewächs must contain no more than 9 g/L residual sugar and are released no earlier than September 1 of the year following harvest for whites, and a year later for reds

From VDP Classification, read from two or more sentences
4 Grosse Lage

Grosse Lage (grand cru equivalent) represents Germany's finest sites: yields are limited to 50 hl/ha, harvesting must be done selectively by hand, and dry wines from these sites carry the Grosses Gewächs (GG) designation.

yields limited to 50 hl/ha

Examples Erbach

Grosse Lage (grand cru equivalent) represents Germany's finest sites: yields are limited to 50 hl/ha, harvesting must be done selectively by hand, and dry wines from these sites carry the Grosses Gewächs (GG) designation.

From VDP Classification
3 Erste Lage

Erste Lage (premier cru equivalent) requires optimal growing conditions, hand harvesting, and a yield ceiling of 60 hl/ha.

yield ceiling of 60 hl/ha

Erste Lage (premier cru equivalent) requires optimal growing conditions, hand harvesting, and a yield ceiling of 60 hl/ha.

From VDP Classification
2 Ortswein

Ortswein (village wine) must originate from a single village using regionally defined varieties.

same yield ceiling as Gutswein (75 hl/ha)

Ortswein (village wine) must originate from a single village using regionally defined varieties.

From VDP Classification
1 Gutswein

Gutswein (estate wine) forms the base, with grapes from estate-owned vineyards and a maximum yield of 75 hl/ha.

maximum yield of 75 hl/ha

Gutswein (estate wine) forms the base, with grapes from estate-owned vineyards and a maximum yield of 75 hl/ha.

From VDP Classification

The four-tier classification was unanimously adopted at an extraordinary general meeting in 2012, building on the Grosses Gewächs concept first defined in 2002.
The tiers are based purely on vineyard origin, paralleling the Burgundian approach of Premier Cru and Grand Cru.
VDP standards consistently exceed German wine law, mandating lower yields, hand harvesting at top tiers, and strict tasting panel approval.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from VDP Classification own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Sweetness levels

German Sweetness Designations

Germany Full article 4 tiers, lowest to highest

4 Süß

Süß is the German label term for any wine whose residual sugar exceeds the Halbtrocken threshold of 18 g/L, with no legal ceiling imposed on sweetness.

above 18 g/L RS with no upper legal limit

Süß is the German label term for any wine whose residual sugar exceeds the Halbtrocken threshold of 18 g/L, with no legal ceiling imposed on sweetness.

From Süß (Sweet — No Legal Maximum RS)
3 Lieblich lieblich

The article names this tier without stating its criteria.

An informal intermediate term, lieblich, sometimes describes wines in the 18 to 45 g/L RS range, while süß in the strictest EU sense refers to wines above 45 g/L.

From Süß (Sweet — No Legal Maximum RS), read from two or more sentences
2 Halbtrocken

Halbtrocken (off-dry) is the legally defined sweetness category with a maximum of 18 g/L residual sugar.

maximum 18 g/L RS

German wine law establishes three legally defined sweetness categories based on residual sugar in the finished wine: Trocken (dry, maximum 9 g/L RS), Halbtrocken (off-dry, maximum 18 g/L RS), and Süß (sweet, above 18 g/L RS with no upper legal limit).

From Süß (Sweet — No Legal Maximum RS)
1 Trocken

Trocken (dry) is a legally defined sweetness category with a maximum of 9 g/L residual sugar (up to 4 g/L strictly, with an acidity-based allowance to 9 g/L).

maximum 9 g/L RS

Trocken: maximum 9 g/L RS (up to 4 g/L strictly, with acidity-based allowance to 9 g/L); Halbtrocken: maximum 18 g/L RS; Süß: above 18 g/L RS with no ceiling

From Süß (Sweet — No Legal Maximum RS)

The sweetness designations operate on an entirely separate axis from the Prädikat ripeness system, which measures must weight at harvest.
Lieblich is an informal term, not a legally defined category; EU regulation formally defines süß as above 45 g/L RS, though German labeling practice uses Süß for the entire above-Halbtrocken range.
The Weingesetz of 14 July 1971 codified the Trocken/Halbtrocken/Süß framework that still governs German labeling.

Tiers, criteria and figures come only from Süß (Sweet — No Legal Maximum RS) own text. Tap a rung for its criteria and the sentence behind it.

Section 3 of the Weingesetz names the Nahe as one of 13 specified wine regions for quality and Prädikat wines, and the DWI divides it into 1 district (Bereich), 7 collective vineyard sites (Grosslagen) and more than 300 individual sites (Einzellagen). In 2023 the region produced 209,018 hectolitres of wine: 67.31% Qualitätswein, 31.92% Prädikatswein and 0.77% Deutscher Wein or Landwein, per Destatis figures in the DWI's 2024/2025 statistics. The DWI notes that a large share of Nahe wine is sold directly to consumers by individual estates, and that cooperatives, with cellars in Meddersheim and Bretzenheim, play a less prominent role than in Baden, Württemberg or Franken. The VDP says a model for site classification existed on the Nahe a century ago, documented in 1901 in the "Nahe Vineyard Map for the Administrative District of Koblenz." The VDP.Nahe, in its present form since the 1970s, holds a public wine auction every autumn and covers 550 hectares of classified land (VDP website, 2026); its nine member estates are Dr. Crusius, Dönnhoff, Emrich-Schönleber, Gut Hermannsberg, Joh. Bapt. Schäfer, Kruger-Rumpf, Prinz Salm, Schäfer-Fröhlich and Schlossgut Diel. The VDP credits Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm of Wallhausen, VDP President from 1990 to 2007, with a decisive role in the upswing of quality viticulture in Germany and in the worldwide renaissance of Riesling.

One of 13 specified wine regions in Section 3 of the Weingesetz
1 district, 7 collective vineyard sites and 300+ individual sites (DWI)
2023 production: 67.31% Qualitätswein, 31.92% Prädikatswein, 0.77% Deutscher Wein or Landwein (DWI statistics)
Nine VDP.Nahe member estates, with 550 hectares of classified land (VDP website, 2026)

Sources and last verified

Primary sources (German Wine Institute, the Weingesetz, Weinland Nahe e.V., the VDP, and producers' own sites for their own facts): https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-regions/growing-area/73/nahe, https://www.winesofgermany.com/fileadmin/DWI/News_Medien/PDF/Statistik_2024-2025.pdf, https://www.winesofgermany.com/news-media/news/news/783/a-profile-of-the-13-german-wine-growing-regions, https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-regions/highlight-of-wine-culture/356/bad-sobernheim-open-museum, https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-regions/highlight-of-wine-culture/357/gut-hermannsberg, https://www.winesofgermany.com/our-regions/highlight-of-wine-culture/358/the-ruins-of-disibodenberg, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/weing_1994/__3.html, https://www.weinland-nahe.de/de/unsere-nahe/fakten/index.html, https://www.weinland-nahe.de/de/impressum.html, https://www.weinland-nahe.de/de/unsere-nahe/lage/index.html, https://www.weinland-nahe.de/de/unsere-nahe/terroir/index.html, https://www.weinland-nahe.de/de/unsere-nahe/geschichte/index.html, https://www.weinland-nahe.de/de/unsere-nahe/die-naheweinstrasse/index.html, https://www.vdp.de/en/the-wines/the-vdpregions/nahe, https://www.vdp.de/en/die-winzer/nahe/doennhoff, https://www.vdp.de/en/die-winzer/nahe/emrich-schoenleber, https://www.vdp.de/en/die-winzer/nahe/schaefer-froehlich, https://www.vdp.de/en/die-winzer/nahe/kruger-rumpf, https://www.vdp.de/en/die-winzer/nahe/joh-bapt-schaefer, https://www.doennhoff.com/assets/languages/en.json, https://www.emrich-schoenleber.de/de/weine, https://www.weingut-schaefer-froehlich.de/weine, https://www.jbs-wein.de/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/2026_Preisliste-Privatkunden_Online_02-2026-Vinothek-neu.pdf, https://www.kruger-rumpf.com/unsere-weine. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/learn/german-riesling-a-buying-guide-for-beginners-524608/, https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/wine-regions/germany/nahe. Last verified 2026-09-28

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Flavor Profile

Nahe Riesling delivers racy acidity, precise mineral character, and elegant fruit, combining the lightness of Mosel with the structure of Rheingau. Stone fruit, citrus, and a distinctive stony or volcanic minerality are typical, with excellent aging potential in top sites.

Food Pairings

Freshwater fish such as trout or pikeGrilled white asparagus with hollandaiseMild soft cheesesCharcuterie and cured porkShellfish and light seafood dishesAsian cuisine with delicate spice

Wines to Try

Joh. Bapt. Schäfer Riesling trocken (VDP.Gutswein)€11.50 (estate price list 2026, 2025 vintage)
Sebastian Schäfer tells the VDP this estate Riesling is the calling card of the winery; the estate's 2026 list describes the 2025 as having juicy fruit and minerality.
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Kruger-Rumpf Im Pitterberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs
Georg Rumpf names this VDP.Grosses Gewächs from the Im Pitterberg Grosse Lage in Münster-Sarmsheim as the wine he is most proud of; the estate cites grey slate in the Pitterberg.
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Schäfer-Fröhlich Felseneck Riesling Auslese
From Felseneck in Bockenau, which the estate names as one of its two monopoly vineyards; its own note credits slate and quartzite for the wine's mineral depth.
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Dönnhoff Brücke Riesling Auslese Gold Cap
From the Brücke in Oberhausen, a Dönnhoff monopole classified VDP.Grosse Lage on grey slate under loess loam; the estate calls it a crystal-clear dessert Riesling.
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Emrich-Schönleber Halenberg Riesling GG
From the Halenberg in Monzingen, a VDP.Grosse Lage of which Frank Schönleber says the estate owns more than 60 percent and recultivated after decades of scrubland.
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How to Say It

NaheNAH-heh

AnbaugebietAN-bow-geh-beet

EinzellagenEYN-tsel-lah-gen

GrosslagenGROSS-lah-gen

SpätburgunderSHPAYT-boor-gun-der

DönnhoffDERN-hoff

HunsrückHOONS-rook

Qualitätsweinkvah-lee-TAYTS-vyne

Exam Study NotesWSET / CMS

Independent Anbaugebiet since 1971; its wine was previously marketed as Rhine wine (Weinland Nahe e.V.)
The DWI says the Nahe contains the entire rock cycle: igneous (volcanic), sedimentary (sandstone, clay, limestone) and metamorphic (slate) rock
Structure per the DWI: 1 district, 7 collective vineyard sites, 300+ individual sites; 4,166 hectares in 2025
2023 (DWI statistics): 77% white, 23% red; Riesling 1,244 hectares (29.3%), then Müller-Thurgau (11.0%)
The VDP.Nahe has nine member estates, among them Dönnhoff, Emrich-Schönleber and Schäfer-Fröhlich (VDP)

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