THE VINEYARDS OF THE WORLD. 41 



Geisenheim, Winkel, Mittelheim, and Oes- 

 trich, near the Rhine, whilst higher up the 

 hills are the Castles of Johannisberg and 

 Volrads surrounded by magnificent vine- 

 yards. A little further east are the no less 

 celebrated hills of Steinberg, whilst nearer 

 the river are the famous growths of Hatten- 

 heim, Marcobrunnen, Erbach and Eltville. 

 On the opposite bank of the Rhine, in 

 Hessen, there are a far greater number of 

 vineyards from Bingen to Mayence and 

 from Mayence to Worms, than in the 

 Rheingau, but there is only a comparatively 

 small percentage of the wines made in this 

 province which can claim to possess a very 

 high degree of excellence. Some vineyards 

 in Hessen, however, produce very fine wines, 

 with good body and bouquet, which are 

 eminently suited for exportation. The 

 best of these are the wines of Nierstein 

 and Oppenheim, some miles south of 



