Elevation: 520m, 1706 feet

Tourist Information: 131 Adenauerallee, Bonn 53113; Tel: +49(0)2 28 / 910 41-0, Email: info(at)bonn-region.de

Distance from:

·       Bonn 30 km/19 miles

·       Dsseldorf 110 km/69 miles

·       Frankfurt 150 km/94 miles

·       Cologne 70 km/44 miles

·       Trier 120 km/75 miles

 Routes through the Valley:

·       Rotweinstrasse (B266 and B267) for driving.

·       Rotwein Wanderweg for hikers.

·       Ahr-Radtour for cyclistsa circular route that begins in Remagen/Rhine, goes through the Ahr Valley and back to the Rhine

Wine Tasting:
Generally available during business hours Monday through Friday and limited hours on weekends. Appointments strongly encouraged at all wineries. Prices per bottle range widely, but generally fall between 12 to 30 DM ($7-$17) for the current years wines. The best years for Ahr Valley wines include 1997, 1995, 1990, 1985, and 1981. 

Reference:
A Travellers Wine Guide to Germany. By Kerry Brady Stewart. Interlink Books, 1998.

German Wine Labels:
German wine quality categories are terms used to indicate increasing levels of ripeness at harvest.

There are two types of table wine:

·       Deutscher Tafelwein is equivalent to French Vin de Table.

·       Deutscher Landwein is equivalent to French Vin de Pays.

There are several levels of quality wine, which is made from ripe, very ripe, or overripe grapes, selectively harvested.

·       Qualitätswein b.A. (QbA): quality wine from one of the 13 specified regions in Germany, made from ripe grapes; everyday wines enjoyed with or without meals; equivalent to French Appellation Contrlle (A.C.) wines.

·       Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP): quality wine with special attributes from one district within one of the 13 regions; Made from riper, very ripe, and overripe grapes; superior wines to drink with or without meals and on special occasions. Equivalent to French A.C. +cru. The special attributes or "Prädikats" are as follows:

·       Kabinett: fully ripe grapes; the lightest of the Prädikat wines. Good with most foods.

·       Spätlese: riper, late-harvested grapes; richer in body and taste; trocken or halbtrocken styles go well with many dishes; the classic style (slightly sweet) harmonizes well with richer foods.

·       Auslese: very ripe grapes selected bunch by bunch; rich, noble wines with more intense bouquet and flavor.

·       Beerenauslese: very ripe, individually selected berries; luscious rarity with ripe, natural sweetness.

·       Eiswein: very ripe grapes harvested and pressed while still frozen; wines with intense sweetness and acidity.

·       Trockenbeerenauslese: overripe individually selected berries, often dried up by a fungus which imparts a honeyed tone to the wine; extremely rich, nectar-like rarity.

Source: A Traveller's Wine Guide to Germany.

From April into November in the many wine villages of Germany's 13 different wine regions are hundreds of wine festivals. A complete list of these is available from the German Wine Information Bureau, 245 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2204, New York NY 10016, tel. 212-896-3336, fax: 212-896-3342, e-mail: sullassoc1@aol.com