The Nahe is a tributary of the Rhine, and the region surrounding it has two real treasures, precious stones and fine wines, which are brought together every year in the ‘Edelschliff’ selection of the best wines. In 2020, the honours went to a Riesling from the Königsschild area made by the Honrath estate in Langenlonsheim. Every bottle is adorned with a tiger’s eye gemstone.
The German Gemstone Route around Idar-Oberstein is a 48 kilometre route linking villages shaped by the gemstone processing industry. There are more than 60 gemstone polishing workshops where visitors can watch craftsmen at work.
In Idar-Oberstein, a town famous for its precious stones and jewellery, tradition and variety are brought together in glittering exhibition at the German Mineral Museum, the German Gemstone Museum and the Edelstein Adventure World. The artistry involved in processing the precious stones remains fascinating to this day. This applies not only to polished stones on rings, pendants, bracelets or earrings, but also to delicate works of art.
Jewelry workshop in Idar-Oberstein, Nahe valley
There are also stones of a different kind – those that ensure that the grapes grown along the Nahe ripen into fine wines. A quirk of nature gifted the Nahe region with different soil structures ranging from slate to sandstone and basalt within just a small area, giving the Nahe wines their unmistakable flavour, and made the hills of the Soonwald forest, the Hunsrück forest and the mountains of the northern Palatinate the silent guardians of the Nahe wine-making region.
The vineyards line the banks of the Nahe and its tributaries, the Guldenbach, Gräfenbach, Glan and Alsenz, all the way from Martinstein to Bingen. Nahe wines have an unmistakable fruity acidity, high levels of minerality and excellent longevity. The Nahe region, famous throughout the world for its precious stones, is also an insider tip amongst those in the know for its wines, which grow on soils ranging from quartzite and green slate to Rotliegend and mature into full-flavoured wines with character and harmony.
Vineyards at the Rotenfels cliff near Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg, Nahe valley
Enjoy wine in the Nahe valley
Based on the motto ‘Komm näher’, which translates as ‘come closer’, Weinland Nahe e.V. has initiated a series of wine festivals in three extraordinary locations, the ‘Rebenbeben’ in Wallhausen and the ‘Nahebar’ in Guldental in July, and the ‘Nahegelage’ in Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg in August. All three events focus on tasting the exquisite Nahe wines.
The ‘Rebenbeben’ is an opportunity for 10 young Nahe wine-makers to showcase their best wines amid the Wallhausen vineyards, with fantastic views over the Nahe valley. Guests can taste a rotating selection of wines, with food trucks offering creative treats and modern lounge furniture to relax on. The relaxed converted barn and gardens at chef Markus Buchholz’s country house in Guldental provide the venue for the summer ‘Wine & Dine’ event, where a Nahe wine bar serves five local wine-makers’ wines. There are also several courses to enjoy at the food bar. At the ‘Nahegelage’, the spa gardens in Bad Münster are turned into a picnic site. It is a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy wines from 15 different wine-makers.
