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11,000 virgins, an open-air stage, a wide variety of wines. The name of the vineyard refers to the former Himmelgarten monastery in Alzey. It is dedicated to Saint Mary, the 11,000 Virgins and Saint John and was located in the western suburb of Alzey. Cistercian nuns lived there, since at least 1281. The single vineyard was first mentioned in a document in 1426 with the name "hinder hymmelgarten". No structural remains of the monastery are recognisable. However, the name remained. Various grape varieties grow on chalky, sandy loam. The…
The drink of the teacher - wines from the limestone Which doctor is meant here? The doctor, the schoolmaster, a scholar? It is assumed, that the rights to use the vineyard belonged to the village schoolmaster. Apparently he was a foodie, as the vineyard is pure limestone. The humus layer is very thin. This produces mineral and salty wines. The acidity is well buffered by the limestone. Especially Pinots grow very well here. In former quarries - used by the inhabitants for centuries – dedicated winegrowers planted vines again.…
Once owned by the counts: limestone-rich vineyards for elegant wines Birds of prey certainly fly their courses here, but they are not the origin of the name. Above Dienheim lies the "Falkenberg" vineyard. The name probably goes back to the "Counts of Falkenstein". In 1423, the mayor and council of the town of Oppenheim had jurisdiction over the Dienheim field parcel. From 1429 to 1497, Oppenheim belonged to the Counts of Falkenstein. So the people of Dienheim were also subjects of the counts. The Falkenberg stands for fine-fruited, elegant…
The layer designation is based on a former cross chapel.
The location name is based on the castle near Dexheim, of which only part of the tower is left after a fire in 1683.
Military horsemen, noble tables and fertile soils In the Middle Ages, noble families received tributes from their people: pigs, cheese or wine. The so-called "Tafelgüter". It is assumed that the camp name "Tafelstein" refers to this. The vines between Dienheim and Ludwigshöhe grow on deep loess, loam and lime marl. Ideal for Riesling, Pinot Noir and other varieties. The soils are fertile with good water storage capacity. The "Siliusbrunnen" (Silius Well) located there refers to the horseman Silius, who served in a Roman cavalry…
Riesling - Powerful and precise like a bird of prey Buzzard, hawk or sparrowhawk: birds of prey lie in wait for their prey and strike with lightning speed. In the Middle Ages, they were known as "vultures" (from the Middle High German gīr). Presumably, the location in Dittelheim is called so because of the large number of these birds. The "Geiersberg" is located at the foothills of the Kloppberg. The vines stand on deep, calcareous clay marl - rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium. In the glass, the wines reflect powerful minerality.…
Rieslings at lofty heights and with chalky soil With up to 280 metres above sea level, this site is one of the highest in Rheinhessen. It also faces east/northeast - a highly interesting site in the wake of climate change. On heavy clay marl "Pelosol" soils with fine limestone inlay, mainly Rieslings thrive here. Cool evening winds are ideal for the "grande dame" of grape varieties. Wines with a distinctive acidity and minerality, depth and elegance are produced. The name "Klopp" first appeared in documents in 1537. The name goes back to the…
Oh, how delicious, this vineyard, these wines! One of the most melodious vineyards in Rheinhessen - and no one really knows where the name comes from! The Middle High German word "lecken" is derived from the Old High German "lecchōn" and refers to something particularly tasty. Does it refer to the tasyts wines? The salt licks for game? Or something completely different? The vineyard was first documented in 1562 with the name "im Leckerberg". The vines grow on terraced slopes above the village on a wide variety of soils such as chalky…
Simple wayside cross with view towards Petersberg The single site runs west of the village, in the direction of Petersberg. It was mentioned in a document in 1501 with the name "am Crutzeberge". The site designation is based on an old field cross. A "Flur" is a delimited piece of land, thus an area designation. In former times one also spoke of "Flurnamen", quasi a similar counterpart to today's site designations. There is still a cross on the Kreuzberg today, but it is a classic, simple wayside cross. A bench invites you to rest. Different…
Of prehistoric horses, saber-toothed tigers and hares The hare gave its name to the single location. Moreover, the Middle High German word "spring/sprung", which has nothing to do with hopping, but means "spring". Hare, deer, fox, badger certainly roam the area between the three villages Dorn-Dürkheim, Wintersheim and Hillesheim. And yet there were once quite wondrous animals here: prehistoric horses, rhinoceroses or saber-toothed tigers. The found remains of 80 vertebrate species are about 8.5 million years old and thus belong to…
Peace cross, fruit trees and heat-loving vines This single vineyard is located east of Bingen-Dromersheim, on the western flank of the Jakobsberg. At the top of the mountain: a pilgrimage monastery with a history dating back over 300 years and still inhabited by monks. The Klosterweg is a direct pedestrian link between the village and the monastery. Hikers and mountain bikers will find beautiful resting places with a view, including one stop at the peace cross. Fruit trees flank the paths. The name of the single vineyard was first coined in…
Church, cliff and wines from the volcano On the southern border of the district lies the "Beller Kirche", a late Gothic ruin with a high choir, typical for Rheinhessen. The alter dedicated to St. Mary was completed in 1490, the nave in 1519. Today, the ruin is a venue for events, including wine tastings. The single vineyard "Eckelsheimer Kirchberg" refers to this church. The vines are rooted in gravel sand and exceptional volcanic stone. 30 million years ago, the whole region was flooded by a subtropical sea. The coastline of that time, the…
Romantic or economic thinking? Successful either way. Was it delightful field flowers, such as corn poppies or delphiniums, that led to the name? Or does it refer – not very romantically - to the Middle High German word "blum" for yield? Did a Mister Blume once live here? We do not know. The lime and sandy marl soil is rich in nutrients and well aerated. The wines from this top vineyard seem particularly aromatic and delicate. Riesling, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Scheurebe and Portugieser grow here. > To the single vineyards…
Time out for sophisticated Rieslings and Pinot Noirs Goat? Difficult soil? Jacked up? In German, all these words include the expression “Bock”. There are various interpretations on where the vineyard’s name is originated. Did the Romans once sacrifice goats here? Not very likely. The brown loam limestone soil can certainly be difficult sometimes. Or this is at least, what the winemakers say. Jacked up could be right, because in the area of the single vineyard there was once a resting place on the old army road. A rack for…
Small, fine, French – the small temple surrounded by vines It is one of the smallest single vineyards in Rheinhessen: the "Elsheimer Tempelchen" with ten hectares of vineyards (six hectares planted, as of 2021) is surrounded by a stone wall. Just like in France? Yes! In the center of the vines an arcaded hall with pillars and a sundial is visible from afar. The "little temple" was probably built in Napoleonic times. The Windhäuser Hof, above the single vineyard, was the summer residence of Baron Jeanbon St. André. He sent…
Walking aristocrats? No, melting Rieslings Did nobles once walk here? But did they not prefer to ride high on horseback or sit in carriages? The vineyard was first mentioned in a document in 1370 with the name "an dem adelphade" (eng. “by the noble path”). The name is not based on the status of the bypassers, but refers to a ditch. Even today, the meadow ditch runs across the site, with the Selz river flanking one side of the vineyard. The soil is deep, clayey and heavy, with a lot of lime. Full-bodied Müller-Thurgau or…
Of ships, vineyard towers and vine diversity Middle High German always has surprises in store: Kachel is derived from "kocke" and means a broad ship with a rounded front. The roundish shape of the hill evokes associations with this comparison. The location was first mentioned in a document in 1442 with the name "in kachelberge". In the middle of the hill: the newly built Ensheim vineyard tower - like a mast on a ship! From there you have a magnificent view of southern Rheinhessen, as far as Odenwald and Pfälzerwald. The winegrowers…
Where Dinotherium once dwelt - limestone for Pinot vines As the name suggests, the soil here is not light and airy. No sand, no loess, but heavy, stony soils. The single vineyard "Eppelsheimer Felsen" is a limestone marl site. The soils are the result of limestone weathering, also known as "terra fusca" or "terra rossa". From the Latin "terra" for land or earth. "Fuscus" stands for brown, "rossa" refers to the reddish colouring caused by iron oxide. In this vineyard, the winegrowers cultivate a wide variety of vines, often Pinots. Eppelsheim…
Devilishly good Rieslings and Pinots This single vineyard flanks the municipality of Essenheim in the direction of Ober-Olm and Stadecken-Elsheim - with a view into the Selz Valley. Was the devil at work here? Names with the compound "devil" often indicate disreputable localities. Sometimes, however, it is simply a personal name. In neighbouring Nieder-Olm there still is a street called Teufelspfad. Legend says: A thief planned to steal grapes in the vineyards. On his way, someone stopped him. When he turned around to see who was holding him…
Rheinhessenwein e.V.
Otto-Lilienthal-Straße 4
55232 Alzey
E-Mail: info@rheinhessenwein.deRheinhessenwein e.V.
Otto-Lilienthal-Straße 4
55232 Alzey
E-Mail: info@rheinhessenwein.de