The wine-growing region named after a tributary of the Rhine is located in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. The Ahr rises in the Eifel and flows into the Rhine south of Bonn. The vineyards are located on south-facing steep slopes in the lower and middle part of the deeply incised river valley over a length of around 25 kilometres. After the flood event in 2021, the vineyard area was reduced to 530 hectares (2018: 563 hectares).
In the upper region between Altenahr and Marienthal, the narrow valley areas are characterised by weathered slate soils. Here, the vineyards almost reach the river. In the lower region between Walporzheim and Heimersheim, there are mainly loess loam soils mixed with weathered stone. In the steep terraces, the soil, rocks and vineyard walls made of slate and greywacke store the sun's heat and release it back to the vines at night, creating a mild, Mediterranean microclimate with relatively high temperatures.
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Thorsten Rahn
Restaurantleiter, Sommelier, Weindozent und Autor; Dresden