GermanyCurated by Michele Edington, Certified Sommelier
From Frankfurt, you're within reach of the Rheingau, Germany's most prestigious Riesling region. This steep-terraced valley along the Rhine turns out top-tier dry and off-dry whites, plus a quieter tradition of elegant Spätburgunder reds. A river-cruise stop lets you taste in charming wine villages like Rüdesheim or Eltville, though visiting a traditional winery takes careful timing and likely a taxi from port.
At a glance
Wine snapshot
The Rheingau is the wine compass from Frankfurt. Riesling leads, with dry, citrusy, peachy wines that can feel broad, firm, and food-ready. Spätlese brings more ripe fruit and texture. Spätburgunder gives the red side, with cherry, strawberry, spice, and a softer frame. In Frankfurt itself, Apfelwein is the local drink to understand: tart apple cider poured cold, built for tavern food, and very much part of the city’s voice.
Also worth a sip
Frankfurt’s local glass is Apfelwein, also called Ebbelwoi, Äppler, or Stöffche. It’s tart, sharp, apple-driven, and served in a ribbed Gerippte glass, often from a blue-gray Bembel jug. Sachsenhausen is the classic tavern area for it. Add Mispelchen for a tiny after-dinner sip, local beer for a cold lunch glass, and coffee for Bethmännchen or Frankfurter Kranz.
Start with straight Apfelwein in Sachsenhausen, then try it gespritzt with sparkling water or lemonade. The glass is part of the fun: Gerippte in your hand, Bembel on the table, green sauce or Handkäs nearby. For a tiny souvenir, look for a small Bembel, a Gerippte glass, or a bottle of Apfelwein that makes your suitcase smell like Frankfurt found an apple orchard and gave it a sharp little hat.
Common questions
- What wine is Frankfurt known for?
- The Rheingau is the wine compass from Frankfurt. Riesling leads, with dry, citrusy, peachy wines that can feel broad, firm, and food-ready. Spätlese brings more ripe fruit and texture. Spätburgunder gives the red side, with cherry, strawberry, spice, and a softer frame. In Frankfurt itself, Apfelwein is the local drink to understand: tart apple cider poured cold, built for tavern food, and very much part of the city’s voice.
- What grapes are grown around Frankfurt?
- Riesling, Spätburgunder / Pinot Noir.
- Why is Frankfurt a notable wine stop?
- Rheingau Riesling is the gold standard of German white wine, and the Main runs you right past its source. These are wines built on volcanic slate and steep, south-facing slopes, which makes them mineral, bright, nuanced, and capable of aging for decades. There's also elegant Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) here, with silky tannins and a restraint that sets it apart from riper New World reds. Standing in this corner of Germany, you'll see how a place this specific produces whites of such remarkable finesse, and German wine suddenly clicks into focus.
- Is Frankfurt a wine destination?
- Frankfurt’s local glass is Apfelwein, also called Ebbelwoi, Äppler, or Stöffche. It’s tart, sharp, apple-driven, and served in a ribbed Gerippte glass, often from a blue-gray Bembel jug. Sachsenhausen is the classic tavern area for it. Add Mispelchen for a tiny after-dinner sip, local beer for a cold lunch glass, and coffee for Bethmännchen or Frankfurter Kranz.
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Nearby winery
Weingut Künstler
Local label terms, decoded
Inside the Frankfurt guide
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