Altenbamberg

Altenbamberg is an Ortsgemeinde (local municipality) in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate and lies in the lower Alsenz valley below Altenbaumburg. The municipality belongs to the wine region Nahe. Its official altitude is 130 metres above sea level; the area covers 7.53 square kilometres.

The Rotenberg lies opposite Altenbaumburg in the Alsenz valley. The southern to south-easterly aspect, altitudes of 250 to 350 metres and slope gradients of 50 to 75 percent shape the site. The Kehrenberg with the Eilebacher slope is documented as early as 1723; around 1821, after the sale of woodland areas, a larger area was planted with vines there. The Schloßberg is named as a vineyard area around the castle and at the Steigerhof, with a historical reference from 1772. The name Roten Berg above the Altenbamberg cemetery is also preserved from the 1772 cadastre. On the Laurentiusberg, at the time of the historical documentation, the vineyards were largely no longer cultivated.

The subsoil of the Rotenberg consists of red slate (Rotliegend) with rhyolite. The red, iron-bearing and comparatively stony top layer is linked to the naming of the site. Above the vines, forest protects against cold winds, while cooling air currents in higher areas slow down growth and extend the ripening period. For the Kehrenberg, rhyolite, weathered material from sandstone and slate components are described.

The VDP classifies Riesling for the 5.65-hectare VDP.GROSSE LAGE Rotenberg. A winery in Altenbamberg also offers wines made from Müller-Thurgau, White Burgundy (Weißer Burgunder), Grey Burgundy (Grauer Burgunder) and Sauvignon Blanc. Dry Altenbamberg Riesling is described as fresh and fruity, with lively fruit acidity, while the delicate (finely off-dry) Riesling is characterised by rhyolite soils. For another Riesling, reduced yields, old vines and cultivation on steep slopes are documented. For Altenbamberg Sauvignon Blanc, a longer maceration time is used under icy reduced conditions.