DWI Wine Hiking Weekend on the Roter Hang

The Roter Hang between Nierstein and Nackenheim is one of Germany's most famous vineyard sites – and at the same time one of the most spectacular in terms of landscape. The striking steep face of red clay slate slopes down to the Rhine, producing some of the world's most mineralic Rieslings and forming a natural backdrop that attracts thousands of hikers and wine lovers every year.

The DWI Wine Hiking Weekend on the Roter Hang will take place in 2026 on the weekend of April 25th and 26th and is part of the nationwide Wine Hiking Weekends of the German Wine Institute (DWI) – an annual event where numerous German wine regions open their vineyards for guided hikes.

The discovery tour on the Roter Hang covers a distance of approximately 8 kilometers along the classified vineyard sites of Pettenthal, Hipping, Brudersberg, Oelberg, and Orbel. At six out of twelve stations, wine tastings are served in the vineyard – a concept that transforms the hike into a culinary and enological course.

A female or male vintner guides each group and explains the peculiarities of the vineyard sites along the way: the significance of the red clay slate for Riesling cultivation, the region's geology (the red coloring dates back to the Permian period and is hundreds of millions of years old), the grape varieties – Riesling as the main variety, complemented by Pinot Noir and some white Burgundy – the philosophy of modern viticulture on the Roter Hang, and the history of the individual wineries.

The dates are Saturday, April 25th, 2026 at 3 PM and Sunday, April 26th, 2026 at 3 PM. Advance booking required – the format is designed for a limited number of participants per tour to ensure the hike can be experienced in a relaxed group size.

Those who appreciate wine, landscape, and geology equally will find an extraordinary experience in this hike: one of the most beautiful wine hiking experiences in Rheinhessen, presented by the vintners themselves, with a direct view of the Rhine and the red rocks that gave the region its name.