Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate Rocks. Soils. Terroir. Impressum Publishers: Foreword Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Klimaschutz, Energie und Landesplanung Rheinland-Pfalz Ministry for Economic Affairs, Climate Protection, Energy and Spatial Planning Rhineland-Palatinate Dear ladies and gentlemen, Stiftsstraße 9, 55116 Mainz for ten years now, the “Soil of the Year” for the upcoming year is announced on December 5th, [email protected] the International World Soil Day. When the vineyard soil was selected for 2014, the federal www.mwkel.rlp.de state of Rhineland-Palatinate, as the largest wine-growing state in Germany gladly assumed patronage for this soil. The brochure “Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate“ introduces the Ministerium für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft, Ernährung, Weinbau und Forsten Rheinland-Pfalz large diversity of soils of the wine-growing areas Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Nutrition, Viniculture and Forestry Rhineland-Palatinate Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße 1, 55116 Mainz and Pfalz. Six of the thirteen German wine-growing regions are located in Rhineland-Palatinate [email protected] and characterize large areas of our state. www.mulewf.rlp.de Wine has been grown here since Roman times. Wine production has created unique cultural landscapes in Rhineland-Palatinate and is an important economic factor today. This is not Coordination and editors: only a result of wine production alone, which generates nearly a third of the total agricultural Dr. J. Backes*, Dr. P. Böhm, H. Gröber**, J. Jung*, Dr. E.-D. Spies*** production value of our federal state, but is also due to the growing number of tourists who come here because of the wine. Layout, graphics and type: T. Wiesner***, supported by R. Lang*** und C. Probst*** With this brochure we would like to encourage visitors to become more acquainted with the “WineLand Rhineland-Palatinate“ and also inspire the wine lover to discover this fundamental Print: factor of wine production. It is a matter of recognizing the diversity and uniqueness of the soils NINO Druck GmbH, Neustadt an der Weinstraße and raising the awareness for the importance of the soil in the creation of a successful wine. Many winemakers have recognized the significance of the soils and terroir and use the “taste Translation: of the soil” in wine marketing. Our soils are a scarce resource that cannot multiply or grow. Mike Walker (www.geo-translations.de) This is why it is our duty to treat our soils with care and preserve them for future generations. All in all we expressly welcome the resolution by the UN-General Assembly to declare 2015 * Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Klimaschutz, Energie und Landesplanung Rheinland Pfalz the International Year of Soils. ** Ministerium für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft, Ernährung, Weinbau und Forsten Rheinland-Pfalz *** Landesamt für Geologie und Bergbau Rheinland-Pfalz Eveline Lemke Ulrike Höfken 1. English edition, January 2015 Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Cli- Minister of State for Environment, Agriculture, mate Protection, Energy and Spatial Planning Nutrition, Viniculture and Forestry All rights reserved especially related to copying, reproduction and translation. Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate 1 Contents WineLand Rhineland-Palatinate 4 Terroir 6 Climate and Wine 8 Soil awareness Soil 10 The Wine Landscapes 12 Ahr 14 Mittelrhein 22 Mosel 30 Nahe 38 Rheinhessen 46 Pfalz 54 2 Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate 3 The varied vinicultural landscapes together with the wine itself form a unique selling point for marketing Rhineland-Palatinate in the highly competitive tourism sector. Wine is an excellent theme, which can be combined with culture and food, but also with activities such as hiking and cycling, to create special tourist packages. In its capaci- ty for making regionality a trait that can be experienced, wine brings an emotive aspect to tourist offers and moulds the national and international image. Wine is the central identity factor and the key for branding the For more information please visit: wine-growing regions in Rhineland-Palati- www.romantic-germany.info Vineyard hut near the Nahe cycle route nate as a destination for tourists and turns a visit of the WineLand Rhineland-Palatinate WineLand Rhineland-Palatinate into an unforgettable experience. Six of the thirteen German wine-growing regions are found in Rhineland-Palatinate: • Ahr (Eng.: Ahr) • Mittelrhein (Eng.: Middle Rhine) • Mosel (Eng.: Moselle) • Nahe (Eng.: Nahe) • Rheinhessen (Eng.: Rhine-Hesse) • Pfalz (Eng.: Palatinate) Each region is unique in itself, characterized by a distinctive vinicultural landscape and looks back on a long tradition of winemaking. Innovative and internationally renowned wine estates, historic attractions, top-class cultural events and celebrated chefs form an unsurpassed symbiosis where nature is at its most beautiful. Mosel cycle route near Neef 4 Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate WineLand Rhineland-Palatinate 5 Winegrowers Terroir shape the wine according to production objectives and the correlated decisions they Soil precipitation. In addition to these factors, make, which are based on their knowledge, is the firm basis of the terroir. It supports phenomena such as humidity, cold air pock- experience and winemaking skills. This be- the vine and provides nutrients and water. ets and the presence of drying or cooling gins with the selection of the grape variety. The thickness and profile of the soil space winds also play an important role. The specific conditions of the wine year dic- in contact with the vine roots, the water tates the type, timing and execution of the and air supply as well as the natural nut- The microclimate within a vineyard may work in the vineyard and wine cellar. These rient content are the most important soil vary from the regional climate. Microclima- controlling measures also have a sustained properties. These are influenced by parent tes differ according to local topographical effect on soil and microclimate. Soil ma- material, topography, length of time for soil characteristics, slope and aspect, the ori- nagement and fertilization or the construc- development, climatic factors and human entation of the site with respect to prevail- tion of terraces can have a profound effect intervention. ing winds, vegetation and the soil as a heat on soil properties. Changing the topography store. Annual climate is responsible for the and the vegetation modifies the microcli- Climate characteristic vintage of the wine. mate of the vineyard and within the stand. determines the suitability of a region for quality wine production, because vines The environmental conditions of a site influ- Terroir place high demands on the ambient tem- ence the formation and storage of aroma- describes the summed effects of these perature. Climate describes the long-term active compounds in the grape and there- framework conditions on wine production. characteristics of the meteorological con- fore the quality and typicality of the wine. The French word terroir can be loosely ditions of an area: temperature profile, du- translated as “soil, location or origin”. In ration and intensity of solar radiation and essence it means that the taste and aroma of a wine reflects the location and therefore pression of their origin and cannot be com- its origin. Terroir encompasses the holistic pared to the anonymous mass products. interaction of natural environmental factors and the influence of the winemaker. The The wine in the glass is a product of nu- unique origin, the terroir, is expressed in the merous influences: the natural environ- variety of wine styles. mental conditions, the philosophy of the winemaker (how a wine should taste), con- Terroir is not interchangeable. The terroir of sumer demands, the economic framework the vineyards in Rhineland-Palatinate, the and vinicultural politics. geological and climatic diversity of the land- scape, the local soil types and topography are unique and cannot be reproduced any- where else. These authentic wines are an ex- 6 Vineyard Soils of Rhineland-Palatinate Terroir 7 The growth period of the vine is tempera- Climate and Wine ture-controlled. Cool phases are important for producing fresh and fruity wines. Slow Western Europe lies within the temperate changes between oceanic, sub-tropical and sugar production prevents wines from beco- climate zone, which is characterised by rela- continental air masses. Annual climatic fluc- ming too alcoholic and flabby. Cool nights tively cool summers and mild winters. In the tuations are typical for the temperate cli- delay the conversion of acidity and a higher northern hemisphere, high quality wines are mate zone. Individual years can vary widely acid content means a fresher wine with im- produced between the 30th and 51st de- with respect to the duration of sunny peri- Weather station proved ageing potential. Our climate is just grees of latitude. The wine-growing regions ods and precipitation. This leads to an an- perfect for the “King of White Wines”, the The past decades has seen a development of Rhineland-Palatinate are located along nual variability of the growth and ripening Riesling. The grapes ripen slowly and there- towards warmer conditions in the wine- the northern edge of this zone. conditions for the vine, which is expressed in fore the distinctive element of the wine is its growing regions. Between 1951