With Riesling Through the Underworld Oberwesel

Oberwesel bears the epithet “City of Towers and Wine” — both elements are inseparably linked here. The medieval townscape with its sixteen towers and the largely intact city wall is one of the most important sights of the UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley. At the same time, Oberwesel is an important wine-growing region on the Middle Rhine, with steep slopes on the Schönburg hill and on the Rhine.

What many visitors don't see: Beneath the historic old town lies a sprawling world of wine cellars — many from the Middle Ages and early modern period, with barrel vaults, old wooden barrels, and ventilation shafts in the stone walls. These cellars are normally inaccessible; they are the winemakers' workspaces.

During “With Riesling Through the Underworld”, several wineries open their cellars for an evening tour: Visitors go from cellar to cellar with a glass (deposit or included), receive small wine tastings, listen to short lectures on the history and architecture of the respective house, and enjoy the cool, dark atmosphere of the vaults. Some cellars also offer small culinary snacks — Spundekäs, bread, cheese, cold cuts — to accompany the wine.

The format is a mix of wine tasting, city tour, and architectural experience. It is part of the region-wide spring program of the Romantic Rhine tourism region and typically takes place on a single evening — the intensity and special character of the cellar tour could not be maintained over several days.

The number of participants is limited — advance booking recommended. The exact list of participating wineries will be published by the organizer in spring 2026.