The capital of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate covers around 100 km² and has 215,000 inhabitants. With the neighbouring Hessian state capital Wiesbaden, it forms a cross-state double centre. Mainz lies opposite the mouth of the Main River on the Rhine. Wine culture has an ancient tradition in the city and dates back to Roman times when they planted vines in Mogontiacum. The oldest document on viticulture in Mainz reports on a donation in 754. From the Middle Ages onwards, viticulture and the wine trade developed into an important economic factor and were even among the main sources of income until well into the 19th century. There have always been large areas of vineyards within the city limits, the former record being around 450 hectares. Today there are still over 200 hectares in the southern districts of Ebersheim, Hechtsheim and Laubenheim, which all belong to the Nierstein area in the Rheinhessen wine-growing region.
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Prof. Dr. Walter Kutscher
Lehrgangsleiter Sommelierausbildung WIFI-Wien