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Regions

Comprehensive description of all European growing areas, their grape varieties, traditions and legal rules with maps.

Description to Pfalz

The wine-growing region is located in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. The vineyards cover 23,554 hectares, making it the second largest German wine-growing region after Rheinhessen. Until 1995 it was called Rheinpfalz, the current name (lat. Palatium = palace) derives from the Palatines of the Holy Roman Empire who resided in the city of Heidelberg from the 13th to the middle of the 18th century. There are first references to viticulture long before the Romans in Celtic graves as early as 550 BC, which were found in Laumersheim and Bad Dürkheim. After the Romans withdrew from the area, viticulture was revived in the 7th century with the rise of the monasteries. In the 8th century, over a hundred wine-growing villages are already mentioned. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the first vineyard names appeared in this area, some of which have been preserved in the individual vineyard names to this day.

Karte vom Anbaugebiet Pfalz

Due to the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and subsequent warlike events caused by the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, there was great devastation and a decline in viticulture. Around the middle of the 19th century there was at first a new blossoming, but due to mildew and phylloxera there was again a great slump by the end of the century. As a countermeasure, a fruit and viticulture school was founded in Neustadt an der Weinstraße in 1899 to advance research and systematically train the winegrowers. After a chequered history, there was a crisis in the 1970s, from which the Palatinate recovered in the 1980s and innovative winegrowers ensured dynamic further development, especially with high-quality Rieslings. The Palatinate stretches south from Worms in the shape of a belt for 80 kilometres to the French border north of Alsace and from the slopes of the Palatinate Forest to the Rhine plain.

Climate and soil

The climatic conditions for winegrowing are ideal. There are dry, not too hot summers and mild winters. With around 1,800 hours of sunshine a year, the Palatinate is one of the warmest German wine-growing regions with an almost Mediterranean climate. The soils in the Haardt consist entirely of mixtures of sand, loam, marl and clay. The soils on the Südliche Weinstraße are considered more nutrient-rich and thus heavier because of their higher clay content. In the Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstraße area there are lighter soils that are more permeable to water. Limestone soils dominate on the peripheral hill zones.

Areas, communities and sites

Viticulture is practised in a total of 144 Palatinate villages, mainly in the southern and front Palatinate on the western edge of the plain between the Rhine and the Palatinate Forest. Originally, the wine-growing area was divided into three parts, the Oberhaardt, Mittelhaardt and Unterhaardt, from south to north. In 1935, the German Wine Route was created as the first of its kind. It runs from Bockenheim in the north to Schweigen-Rechtenbach on the French border. Since 1969, the two Palatinate areas of Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse and Südliche Weinstrasse have been named after it, divided into a total of 25 large vineyards with 325 individual vineyards.

The Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Wein straße area begins in the north at the border to Rheinhessen and extends through Zellertal, Grünstadt and Bad Dürkheim to Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Lighter and permeable loamy sand to sandy loam soils predominate here. Deep loess soils are predominantly found on the hills and in the plain, where they are interspersed with loam and clay. The area is divided into the 16 large vineyards of Feuerberg, Grafenstück, Hochmeß, Hofstück, Höllenpfad, Honigsäckel, Kobnert, Mariengarten, Meerspinne, Pfaffengrund, Rebstöckel, Rosenbühl, Schenkenböhl, Schnepfenflug von der Weinstraße, Schnepfenflug vom Zellertal and Schwarzerde. Well-known wine-growing communities with their individual vineyards are:

The Südliche Weinstraße area lies within the district of the same name and extends from the Alsatian border in the south (some areas are even on French territory near Weißenburg) to the southern edge of Neustadt/Weinstraße. Here, loess and clay soils predominate. The area is divided into nine large vineyards: Bischofskreuz, Guttenberg, Herrlich, Kloster Liebfrauenberg, Königsgarten, Mandelhöhe, Ordensgut, Schloß Ludwigshöhe and Trappenberg. Well-known wine-growing communities with their individual vineyards are:

  • Albersweiler: Latt
  • Alsterweiler: Kapellenberg
  • Appenhofen: Steingebiss
  • Arzheim: Kalmit (only since 2010), Rosenberg, Seligmacher
  • Billigheim: Rosenberg, Sauschwänzel, Steingebiss, Venusbuckel
  • Billigheim-Ingenheim: Pfaffenberg
  • Birkweiler: Kastanienbusch, Mandelberg, Rosenberg
  • Burrweiler: Altenforst, Schäwer, Schlossgarten (Im goldenen Jost), St. Annaberg
  • Edenkoben: Bergel, Blücherhöhe, Heidegarten, Heilig Kreuz, Kastaniengarten, Kirchberg, Klostergarten, Mühlberg, Schwarzer Letten
  • Edesheim: Forest, Almond slope, Rose garden, Castle
  • Eschbach: Hasen
  • Essingen: Osterberg, Rossberg, Sonnenberg
  • Flemlingen: Herrenbuckel, Vogelsprung, Zechpeter
  • Frankweiler: Biengarten, Kalkgrube
  • Freinsheim: Goldberg, Musikantenbuckel, Oschelskopf, Schwarzes Kreuz
  • Gleisweiler: Hell
  • Göcklingen: Kaiserberg
  • Godramstein: Münzberg
  • Hainfeld: Chapel, church piece, Letten
  • Hochstadt: Red mountain
  • Ilbesheim near Landau: Kalmit (only since 2010), Rittersberg, Sonnenberg
  • Insheim: Shepherd's garden
  • Kirrweiler: Mandelberg, Upper Castle, Roman Path
  • Klingenmünster: Maria Magdalena
  • Knöringen: Hohenrain
  • Landau: Altes Löhl, Herrenberg, Höhe, Kaiserberg, Kirchenstück, Münzberg, Mütterle, Pfaffenberg
  • Leinsweiler: Sonnenberg
  • Maikammer: Heiligenberg, Immengarten, Kapellenberg, Kirchenstück
  • Mühlhofen: Rosenberg
  • Niederhorbach: Silberberg
  • Nußdorf: Herrenberg, Kaiserberg, Kirchenstück
  • Rhodt unter Rietburg: Monastery Trail, Rose Garden, Castle Hill
  • Rohrbach: Almond path
  • Roschbach: Rosenkränzel
  • Schweigen: Sonnenberg (Kammerberg, Raedling, St. Paul, Strohlenberg in Alsace)
  • Siebeldingen: Im Sonnenschein (with Gewann Ganz Horn), Mönchspfad, Rosenberg
  • St. Martin: Baron, Kirchberg
  • Venningen: Doktor
  • Walsheim: Silberberg
  • Weyher in der Pfalz: Michelsberg
  • Wollmesheim: Mütterle

List of grape varieties

The undisputed leader is still Riesling with a quarter of the vineyard area. As in the other growing regions, the share of Pinot varieties has risen sharply; the biggest climbers are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2018 status (0 = smaller than 0.5 ha):

Grape variety
dt. Main name
In Germany
common synonyms
Colour Hectare
2018
%-
Ant
Hectare
2009
Riesling White Riesling, Rhine Riesling white 5.865 24,9 5.546
Dornfelder - red 2.902 12,3 3.138
Müller-Thurgau Rivaner white 1.875 8,0 2.298
Ruländer Pinot Gris, Pinot Gris white 1.716 7,3 1.070
Pinot Noir
including Samtrot
Pinot Noir, Blue S., Pinot Noir
Blue Pinot Noir clone Samtrot
red 1.683 7,2 1.582
Portugieser Blue Portugieser red 1.343 5,7 2.092
White Burgundy Pinot Blanc, Pinot Blanc white 1.303 4,5 913
Kerner - white 765 3,3 1.105
Chardonnay - white 760 3,2 489
Silvaner Green Silvaner, Sylvaner white 576 2,5 825
Regent - red 535 2,3 632
Sauvignon Blanc Muscat Sylvaner white 528 2,2 224
Red Traminer Traminer / Gewürztraminer white 481 2,0 353
Scheurebe seedling 88 white 335 1,4 408
Merlot - red 328 1,4 225
Saint Laurent Saint Laurent red 283 1,2 301
Cabernet Sauvignon - red 206 0,9 153
Morio muscat Morio white 189 0,8 260
Ortega - white 165 0,7 212
Yellow Muscat Muscat / Muscat Blanc white 134 0,6 61
Müllerrebe Black Riesling, Pinot Meunier red 134 0,6 159
Dunkelfelder - red 126 0,5 178
Huxelrebe - white 119 0,5 180
Bacchus - white 107 0,5 139
Acolon - red 106 0,5 115
Cabernet Dorsa - red 93 0,4 79
Cabernet Blanc white 90 0,4 -
Auxerrois Small Heunisch white 79 0,3 61
Cabernet Mitos - red 75 0,3 79
Herald Vine - white 64 0,3 94
Frühburgunder Blue Frühburgunder, Clevner red 53 0,2 62
Cabernet Franc - red 40 0,2 6
Syrah Shiraz red 37 0,2 13
Rieslaner - white 36 0,2 39
Limberger/Lemberger Blaufränkisch, Blue Limberger red 43 0,2 39
Solaris - white 35 0,2 9
Cabernet Cubin - red 32 0,1 32
Siegerrebe - white 31 0,1 32
Gold muscatel - white 23 0,1 -
Faberrebe - white 20 0,1 47
Cabernet Dorio - red 11 0,1 12
Ehrenfelser - white 11 0,1 28
Grüner Veltliner Weißgipfler white 11 0,1 3
Johanniter - white 11 0,1 8
Pinotin - red 10 - -
Viognier - white 10 - -
Dakapo - red 9 - 11
Muscaris - white 9 - -
Phoenix - white 8 - 9
Tempranillo - red 8 - -
Chancellor - white 7 - 10
Albalonga - white 6 - 5
Kernling - white 5 - 4
Muscat Ottonel - white 5 - 4
Domina - red 4 - 7
Cabertin - red 4 - -
Red Muscat Muscat white 4 - -
Blue Zweigelt Zweigelt, Rotburger red 3 - 3
Reichensteiner - white 3 - 8
Souvignier Gris - white 3 - -
Cabernet Cortis - red 2 - 0
Jewel - white 2 - 2
Muscat Trollinger Muscat d'Hamburg red 2 - 1
Saphira - white 2 - -
Trollinger Blue Trollinger, Schiava Grossa red 2 - 4
Deckrot - red 1 - 1
Hibernal - white 1 - -
Optima Optima 113 white 1 - 3
Palas - red 1 - 1
Pearl - white 1 - 2
Schönburger - white 1 - 2
White Gutedel Chasselas, Gutedel white 1 - 0
Würzer - white 1 - 3
Blue Silvaner - white 0 - -
Cabernet Carbon - red 0 - -
Cabernet Carol - red 0 - -
Helfensteiner - red 0 - 0
Hölder - white 0 - 1
Malvasia Frühroter Veltliner, Early red white 0 - 0
Nobling - white 0 - 1
Piroso - red 0 - -
Prior - red 0 - -
Rondo - white 0 - 0
Red Elbling Elbling white 0 - 0
Staufer - white 0 - 1
Villaris - white 0 - -
White Elbling Elbling, Kleinberger white 0 - -
Ehrenbreitsteiner - white - - 0
Teinturier du Cher Teinturier du Cher red - - 0
Helfensteiner - red - - 0
Mariensteiner - white - - 1
Orion - white - - 0
Précoce de Malingre Formerly Malingre, Malinger White - - 0
Headmaster - white - - 0
Sprinkler - white - - 0
Silcher - white - - 0
Sirius - white - - 0
Other white varieties - white 49 0,2 57
other red varieties - red 33 0,1 22
WHITE SORT 15.382 65,3 14.425
RED SORT 8.172 34,7 9.042
TOTAL 23.554 100 23.467


Producers

There are more than 20 winegrowers' cooperatives whose members, often with very small areas under cultivation, cultivate about one fifth of the area under vines in the growing region. One well-known winegrowers' association is Forum Pfalz. Well-known producers include Acham-Magin, Ackermann Frank, Aloisiushof, Andres Jürgen & Armin, Argus Peter, Bärenhof, Bassermann-Jordan, Becker Friedrich, Benderhof, Benzinger, Bergdolt-Reif und Nett, Bergdolt St. Lamprecht, Bernhart, Bietighöfer, Biffar Josef, Bohnenstiel, Borell-Diehl, Braun Fritz, Brenneis-Koch, Castel Peter, Christmann Arnold, Corbet, Darting Helmut, Diehl Andreas, Doppler-Hertel, Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Dr. Wehrheim, Ehrhart, Emil Bauer & Söhne, Erlenwein, Eymann Rainer, Fader Kastanienhof, Feitig-Richter, Fitz-Ritter, Forster Winzerverein, Gabel Oliver & Wolfgang, Galler Ansgar, Gaul Karl-Heinz, Gaul-Triebel, Gebrüder Bart, Geheimrat J. Wegeler Erben, Gies-Düppel, Gnägy, Gut Zumstein, Hagenbuch Lothar, Hanewald-Schwerdt, Heinz Bus & Sohn, Henninger IV, Henninger Walter, Herrenhof Schmitzer, Isegrim, Jesuitenhof, Jülg Werner, Karst Ernst, Kassner-Simon, Kaub Karl-Heinz, Kimich, Klein Gerhard, Knipser, Koch Bernhard, Koehler-Ruprecht, Kranz Boris, Krauß Harald, Krebs Harald, Kuhn Philipp, Langenwalter, Leiner Bruno, Lergenmüller, Lorentz, Lucashof, Margarethenhof, Meier - Weingut in Weyher, Mesel, Meßmer Herbert, Meyer Frank, Meyer Stefan, Minges Theo, Mosbacher Georg, Möwes, Müller-Catoir, Müller Eugen, Münzberg, Naegele Georg, Neiss Axel, Odinstal, Ohler Johann, Ökonomierat Rebholz, Petri, Pfaffmann Karl, Pfaffmann Wolfgang, Pfeffingen, Rebenhof Leiner, Reichsrat von Buhl, Reinhardt Stefan, Rings, Sandwiese, acid Heiner, Schaefer Karl, Scheu Klaus, Schlossgut Janson, Schmitt Egon, Schneider Eugen, Schneiderfritz, Scholler Helmut, Schumacher, Seeber Winfried, Siben, Siegrist, Siener Peter, SieneR - Wettstein, Spindler Heinrich, Stachel Erich, St . Annaberg, Stern Wolfgang and Dominic, Stübinger Peter, Studier, Villa Wolf, Wachtenburg Winzer, Wageck-Pfaffmann, Waldkirch, Walter Fritz, Weegmüller, Wegner Joachim, Weik Bernd, Weingut am Nil, Weingut von Winning, Wilhelmshof, Winzergenossenschaft Herxheim am Berg, Wolf Michael, Zelt Mario, Zeter Oliver, Ziegler August and Zöller Hermann.

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