Grapevine

Riesling grows on the steep slopes above the Moselle and the Rhine – Germany has the largest area planted with it in the world.

The grapevine is a woody climber whose shoots grow to a dozen metres or more, clinging to supports with branched tendrils. It has palmately lobed leaves and small, greenish flowers in panicles, which develop into bunches of round berries. In cultivation it is trained as low shrubs that are pruned every year. It grows best on sunny slopes that warm up well, so in Germany’s cool climate vineyards occupy mainly the south-facing slopes of river valleys, where water and rocks soften the effect of frosts.

Significance in the country

Germany has 13 wine regions, and its most famous wine is Riesling, first mentioned in 1435 in Rüsselsheim on the Main. A German speciality is ice wine (Eiswein), made from grapes picked frozen on the vine, and the Calmont vineyard on the Moselle is said to be one of the steepest in Europe.

Where it grows

The largest wine regions are in Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinhessen, the Palatinate, the Moselle, the Ahr, the Nahe, the Middle Rhine), Baden-Württemberg and Hesse (the Rheingau); smaller ones are in Franconia in Bavaria, along the Saale and Unstrut and in Saxony near Meissen.

According to the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew), the species is native to this country. Source and licence

More: Wikipedia (en) Wikipedia (pl) Plants of the World Online (Kew)