Pfalz
The Palatinate has many superlatives: the largest wine festival in the world in Bad Dürkheim, but also the first and most famous wine street, the German Wine Street.
Facts
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23.640 ha
Vineyard area (2025)
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323
single vineyards
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130
Wine villages
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5.883 ha
Riesling cultivation
For 85 kilometers, the region’s vineyards connect the 130 wine villages stretching from Bockenheim to Schweigen on the border with Alsace. With 23,640 hectares under vine, the Pfalz is Germany’s second-largest wine-growing region and is composed of two areas: Mittelhaardt–Deutsche Weinstraße and Südliche Weinstraße.
The focus of the winegrowers in this region—framed and protected by the Pfälzerwald forest—is on classic grape varieties, above all Riesling. The king of white wines has become the undisputed number one in the Pfalz, with nearly 5,883 hectares planted. However, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are also gaining significant ground. In addition, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Scheurebe, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, and Morio-Muskat contribute to the region’s diverse range of white wines. The Pfalz also leads nationwide in Sauvignon Blanc cultivation, accounting for around 40 percent of all German plantings (816 ha).
Red wines are becoming increasingly important as well. Today, over 30 percent of the vines between the Rhine and the Haardt Mountains bear red grapes—making the Pfalz Germany’s largest red wine region, with 7,375 hectares. Alongside the classic red varieties, the Pfalz produces roughly half of all German Merlot (450 ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (264 ha), Syrah (77 ha), and Cabernet Franc (68 ha). The region offers lively, fresh Weißherbst from the Portugieser grape and fruity Pinot Noir (1,760 ha).
Overview Pfalz
Geographical location: Between the densely forested Haardt Mountains (an extension of the Vosges) and the Rhine plain, extending from south of Worms all the way to the French border
Major towns: Bad Dürkheim, Neustadt, Landau
Climate: Many hours of sunshine, average temperature: 11°C
Soil types: Loam is prevalent, often in a mixture with other soil types, such as loess, chalk, clay, colored sandstone or sand
Vineyard area 2025: 23,640 ha · 2 districts · 25 collective vineyard sites · 300+ individual sites
Grape varieties 2025 [white 69% · red 31%]: Riesling, Dornfelder, Grauburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, Spätburgunder as well as Portugieser, Weißburgunder, Kerner and Chardonnay
Marketing: About a third of the region's wine is sold directly to consumers and half is marketed through commercial wineries and some two dozen cooperative cellars. The Pfalz is an important supplier of the components for Liebfraumilch, much of which is bottled by large wineries in other regions and most of which is exported.
Signposted routes through wine country: Deutsche Weinstraße (driving) · Wanderweg Deutsche Weinstraße (hiking)
Varietals
Quotes
Highlights of wine culture in Pfalz
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Highlight Villa Weilberg with Wine Press Villa Weilberg with Wine Press: Making Wine like the Romans
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Highlight Winery : Kreutzenberger Weingut Kreutzenberger - classic and modern at the same time
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Highlight Wine city of Deidesheim Wine City of Deidesheim: The Cradle of German Quality Wines
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Winesights
Wine hike Keschdeweg (Chestnut Trail)
Der Pfälzer Keschdeweg (Kastanienweg) führt uns durch das Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald hinaus in sonnendurchflutetes Weinland, vorbei an vielen Esskastanien, die hier aufgrund des milden Klimas wachsen und im Herbst Früchte tragen.
Contact
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Pfalzwein e.V.
67433 Neustadt an der Weinstraße- Martin-Luther-Straße 69 Rheinland-Pfalz Germany
