Location and landscape
Bad Sobernheim lies on the middle Nahe in the Nahe. To the north, the Hunsrück stretches out; to the south, the Nordpfälzer Bergland; the Soonwald extends as far as towards the town area. The historic settlement was established in a fertile expansion of the Nahe valley outside the floodplain zone on a lower terrace between Domberg, Hüttenberg and a mid-level terrace.
History
The place-name is documented in 1074 as “Soberenheim”. Archaeological finds indicate human presence dating back to the Late Neolithic period; settlements are also evidenced for the Celtic and Roman periods. The town officially carries the name addition “Bad” since 11 December 1995.
Viticulture and soils
Bad Sobernheim belongs to the Nahe wine-growing region, which is protected from cold winds by the Hunsrück and Soonwald. Mild temperatures, lots of sunshine and comparatively low rainfall characterise the conditions. The region has a wide range of geology, with slate, volcanic porphyry, loess and clay soils.
Vineyard sites and grape varieties
In the official directory of vineyard sites, the vineyard sites Domberg, Johannesberg and Marbach are listed for Bad Sobernheim. For the designation Bad Sobernheim-Nußbaum, the Sonnenberg is also listed. In the Nahe, Riesling predominates; Burgundy grape varieties are also significant. The area under vines is predominantly planted with white grape varieties, which means that white-wine production predominates.
