The vineyard

Lorch Bodental-Steinberg

This location is composed of the former individual locations Bodental and Steinberg. As the name Steinberg suggests, this consists of very stony soils with thin soil layers. Taunus quartz and red shale mark the soils and serve as heat storage. This almost southern-facing location produces wines with discreet acids, herbaceous bouquet and high ageing potential. If the wines during initial years appear very bland, with sufficient maturity they become opulent and multifaceted. Our oldest vineyard is also here, with vines over 60 years old.

Types of vine in our vineyard: Riesling
Vine area Altenkirch
Maximum gradient: 60 %
Direction: South-south-west
Soil type/structure: Taunus quarzt, phyllite or red shale, shallow soil

 

Lorch Krone

This place was first mentioned in 1339 with the description  „on the crown“. What this actually means has not yet been clarified. Possibly it's the name of a house. It's also been speculated that it could come from a tree or rock formation. The location faces south-west and indicates the deepest-lying soils of the Lorch district. The minerality of the wine is marked by shale and quartz content. The low lime content in the soil reduces the acid sensation in the wine. The microclimate in the  Lorch crown benefits from the adjoining Rhine.

Vine types of our vineyard: Riesling
Vine area Altenkirch
Maximum gradient: 50 %
Direction: South-West
Soil type/structure: Hunsrück shale, Taunus quartz, calcareous Loess content, medium to deep soil depth 

 

Lorch Pfaffenwies

Mentioned in 1211 as „pafenwies“ and in 1235 as „pfaffenwissen“, this is the oldest Lorch site mentioned by name. According to the records the place was named after pastor Dydo, son of a knight, Nikolaus von Scharfenstein, who was also known as "Pfaffe (parson)". The Taunus quartz content here exceeds the shale content, so that the wines are distinguished by a full-flavoured minerality. Here some of our oldest vines grow in layers of the first wine categories. Because of their acid structure higher layers are suitable for an off-dry style of wine, lower layers produce powerfully dry wines.

Vine types of our vineyard: Riesling, Pinot Noir 
Vine area Altenkirch
Maximum gradient: 60 %
Direction: South-south-west
Soil type/structure: Taunus quartz, Hunsrück shale, loess content, shallow to deep soil

 

Lorch Schlossberg

Steep, steeper – Schlossberg. With a 60 % gradient the Lorch Schlossberg is the steepest Lorch location. The coarse (stone-infiltrated), shale-covered soils are not typical of the Rheingau and rather indicate a Middle Rhine character. The grey Hunsrück shale emerged over 360 million years ago in Devon and today distinguishes our wines. The name of our Schlossberg location came from the Nollig castle ruins towering above the vineyard. The wines from this place have a distinctive minerality which reminds one of wet shale and, which can have a slightly salty taste, a bouquet of citrus fruits and a floral aroma. The backbone of the Schlossberg wine has a delicate acid.

Vine types from our vineyard: Riesling
Vine area Altenkirch
Maximum gradient: 60%
Direction: South-South-west
Soil type/structure: Hunsrück shalre, shallow soil, coarse 

 

Lorch Kapellenberg

First mentioned in 1480 with the description „behind the chapel“. The name originates from the St. Mark chapel, which no longer exists. The high locations are rather shallow to medium in depth and impregnated with strong shale, the locations close to the Rhine display deep, loess soils, with low shale content.
The Kapellenberg site faces south-west, and has a gradient of between 30 and 50 %. Rieslings from this site are full-bodied, fruity and accompanied with elegant integrated acids. Pinot Noir from Kapellenberg have a bouquet of sweet cherries and blackcurrant.

Vine types from our vineyard: Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc
Vine area Altenkirch
Maximum gradient: 50 %
Direction: South-west
Soil type/structure: Hunsrück shale. loess content, shallow to deep soil