Location and Landscape
Bad Hönningen is situated on the right bank of the Middle Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate. The town covers 20.09 km² and consists of the core town as well as the districts of Ariendorf, Girgenrath and Reidenbruch. The built-up area lies in an extended Rhine valley between Schloss Arenfels and the Ölsberg.
Climate and Geology
The vineyards are located on the adjacent Rhine slopes. The steep valley sides protect the vines from cold winds; in addition, there is plenty of sunshine and the Rhine’s heat reflection. The local rock includes Devonian greywacke, slate and sandstone from the Rhenish Slate Mountains.
Vineyard Sites
The Hönninger Schloßberg is a single vineyard of 9.0 hectares in the district of Hönningen. It lies at about 65 to 180 metres above sea level, is steeply oriented to the south-south-west and has slate soils. Monte Jup is likewise documented as a single vineyard in the district of Hönningen and comprises less than one hectare of planted vineyard area.
Viticulture
Schloßberg and Monte Jup belong to the large vineyard of Burg Hammerstein, to the Loreley area, and to the wine-growing region Mittelrhein. Around Schloss Arenfels, twelve grape varieties are grown in the Schloßberg. The Bad Hönningen town winery cultivates vines there and provides information about vineyard site, grape varieties and soil conditions.
