East of the Mittelhaardt on the Rhine, Speyer holds the 1030 Romanesque imperial cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage) and a long Maximilianstrasse of Pfalz-pouring wine bars. The Historisches Museum keeps the Roemerwein, a 4th-century glass amphora of still-liquid Roman wine.
Pours: Pfalz Riesling at the Rathausplatz, Pfalz Spaetburgunder, Speyer Brezel pairing
Tip: Combine the cathedral with the Historisches Museum to see the Roemerwein, a 4th-century glass amphora of still-liquid Roman wine.
Directly north of the Pfalz across the Worms-Mainz axis, Rheinhessen covers around 26,700 hectares with the red-slate Roter Hang between Nierstein and Nackenheim. The two regions share the Rhine and the warm continental climate.
Pours: Rheinhessen Riesling trocken, Niersteiner Roter Hang Riesling, Rheinhessen Spaetburgunder
Tip: Combine a morning at the Worms cathedral with afternoon tastings on the Roter Hang above Nierstein; Worms sits on the border between the two regions.
At Schweigen the Pfalz meets Alsace, with Cleebourg and Wissembourg a short drive across the French border. The Alsace wine route runs south from there through Marlenheim and the Vosges foothills to Strasbourg.
Pours: Alsace Riesling Grand Cru, Alsace Pinot Gris, Alsace Gewuerztraminer
Tip: Drive from Schweigen down to Wissembourg and Cleebourg on a single morning; the two villages give the cleanest read of the Alsace style closest to the Pfalz border.
South-east across the Rhine from the Pfalz, the Kraichgau and Badische Bergstrasse run south from Heidelberg through Heilbronn into Baden. The region anchors Germany's Pinot heartland alongside the Pfalz with a complementary house style.
Pours: Baden Spaetburgunder, Baden Weissburgunder, Baden Riesling trocken
Tip: Pair the Pfalz Spaetburgunder of Becker or Rings with a Baden Pinot trip into the Kraichgau; the Rhine-bridge drive from Speyer reads the contrast cleanly.
North-east of the Pfalz across Rheinhessen, the Rheingau runs along the south-facing Rhine slopes from Hochheim to Lorch. The two regions trade the title of Germany's classical Riesling heartland with very different stylistic registers.
Pours: Rheingau Riesling trocken, Rheingau Riesling Grosses Gewaechs, Assmannshaeuser Spaetburgunder
Tip: Take the Bingen-to-Ruedesheim car ferry across the Rhine to compare Pfalz and Rheingau Riesling on the same weekend; the river crossing is the prettiest stretch of the trip.
Two hours west of the Pfalz, the Middle Mosel around Bernkastel, Wehlen and Piesport bottles Germany's sharpest, slatiest, lowest-alcohol Riesling. The Mosel reads as the cool-climate counter-style to the warm Pfalz.
Pours: Mosel Riesling Kabinett, Mosel Riesling Spaetlese, Mosel Riesling Grosses Gewaechs
Tip: Make it an overnight rather than a half-day; the Middle Mosel sundial villages need at least two estate stops to read the slate spectrum.