Mergelland's protected wine area covers nine municipalities. Only vineyards on loess arable soil qualify. Viticulture is documented here from AD 968. It continued through the Little Ice Age, stopped during French rule in the Napoleonic period and returned to commercial cultivation in 1970. Permitted grapes include Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Dornfelder, Chardonnay and Auxerrois. Wines can be fruity, with refreshing acidity and mineral notes. Auxerrois whites may be light, with yellow-apple and pear flavours. Chardonnay can be medium-bodied, with lemon flavours and, in some styles, butter, toast and vanilla notes.
1 named area
Inside the region
Explore the wine-growing areas of Mergelland.