Wines from Rheinhessen     Rheinhessen lies in a valley of rolling hills, bordered on the west by the Nahe River and on the North and East by the Rhine.This 20 by 30-mile area between the wine-growing communities of Worms, Alzey, Mainz and Bingen is the largest of the German wine-growing regions and its production makes about a quarter of the German wine production. Due to many kinds of soil types and micro-climates found here, many grape varieties are planted, including the three traditional white varieties - Riesling, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau. Furthermore you can find the traditional varieties of Weissburgunder (Pinot blanc), Grauburunder (Pinot gris) and Gewürztraminer, and new crossings, like Kerner or Bacchus. The red varieties became more important during the last years. Nowadays you can find a wide range of excellent Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), Portugieser, Dornfelder and Regent. There were already admires of Rheinhessen´s mild, agreeable, fragrant wines during the Carolingian period. Charlemagne (at 800), who had a fortress at Ingelheim, was one of the earliest promoters of these wines. Perhaps the best description of Rheinhessen´s wine come from Carl Zuckmayer, a writer from Nackenheim (near the village of Oppenheim), who called it ´the wine of laughter ... charming and appealing´