SEEK OUT RIESLING ALONG THE RHINE

Germany’s Rheingau wine region is wide ribbon of south-facing slopes on the north bank of the Rhine River. Here you’ll find the Rheingau Riesling Path, a 13-stage hiking route between the towns of Kaub and Flörsheim-wicker. It passes through charming, half-timbered wine villages and vineyards with castles and monasteries, all the while offering glorious views and endless sampling opportunities. Amble at leisure, then plan your excursion to coincide with a cellar open day, festival or wine hike (a planned route with wine and food stands), or call ahead to arrange winery tours, tastings or a table at a seasonal winery restaurant.

GETTING STARTED: The landscape between the towns of Lorch and charming-but-touristy Rüdesheim am Rhein is dramatic. The stretch between Rüdesheim and the town of Eltville — known for its summer roses, cobbled streets and sparkling wines — is full of wineries, from the small and family-run to the internationally renowned, such as Kloster Eberbach, set in a former abbey. The region is particularly beautiful in the autumn — the vineyards are golden and the days still remarkably warm. DON’T MISS: Rheingau Wine Week, in Wiesbaden: a nine-day wine festival featuring around 100 Rheingau winery stands.