What to Eat in the Rhineland

The Rhineland's regional cuisine features fresh fish and Wild (game), as well as sauces and soups based on the local Riesling and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) wines. Boiled beef, once known in the region as Tellerfleisch ("dish meat") or Ochsenbrust (brisket), is nowadays called by the more familiar Austrian name Tafelspitz. Rheinischer Sauerbraten (Rhenish marinated pot roast in a sweet-and-sour raisin gravy) is another traditional favorite. The Kartoffel (potato) is prominent in soups, Reibekuchen and Rösti (potato pancakes), and Dibbe- or Dippekuchen (dialect: Döppekoche), a casserole baked in a cast-iron pot and served with apple compote. Himmel und Erde, literally "heaven and earth," is a mixture of mashed potatoes and chunky applesauce, topped with panfried slices of blood sausage and onions.

The region is known for its wines: Riesling is the predominant white grape, and Spätburgunder the most important red variety in the Rheingau, Mittelrhein, and Mosel wine regions. Three abutting wine regions—Rheinhessen and the Nahe, near Bingen, and the Ahr, southwest of Bonn—add to the variety of wines available along the route.

Wines of Germany, aka the German Wine Institute, provides background information and brochures about all German wine-producing regions. Tips on wine-related events and package offers are available from regional wine-information offices, and any visitor-information center along the Rhine and Mosel will put you in touch with local winegrowers.

Wine Information

Wines of Germany. 212/994–7523; www.germanwineusa.com.