Weingut Kreuzberg

The winery is located in the municipality of Dernau in the centre of the German wine-growing region of Ahr. It was founded in 1953 by the then managing director of the Dernau Winegrowers' Association, Hermann-Josef Kreuzberg. Today, the winery is managed by Ludwig Kreuzberg and Frank Josten. A wine tavern is attached. The vineyards cover about 8.5 hectares of vineyards, of which more than 6 hectares are on steep slopes. These are the single vineyards Hardtberg and Pfarrwingert (Dernau), Rosenthal and Silberberg (Ahrweiler), Trotzenberg (Marienthal), Alte Lay (Walporzheim), as well as Kirchtürmchen, Schieferlay and Sonnenberg (Bad Neuenahr). All sites are approved for the production of Grossen Gewächsen according to the VDP classification model. They are largely planted with the red wine varieties Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Regent. In Dernau, there are small stocks of Riesling and Pinot Blanc.

Management is carried out according to the guidelines of integrated viticulture and integrated p est management (IPM). Fertilisation with manure, straw, bark mulch or cover crop play an important role. By pruning and thinning out the vines, a yield of between 25 and 40 hl/ha is achieved in the top vineyards. Further quality-enhancing criteria are defoliation in late summer and selective hand harvesting. All dry red wines are traditionally fermented in open vats and, after malolactic fermentation, aged slowly and gently for between 10 and 18 months in large conventional wooden barrels or new barriques. Vinegars, noble brandies and bottle-fermented sparkling wines are also produced. The winery is a member of the VDP