Location and landscape
Bechtolsheim is a municipality in the middle Rheinhessen at the foot of the Petersberg. The historic town centre is bounded on one side by the Selz and the associated mill channels. The Petersberg is the local landmark and reaches 246 metres above sea level.
Climate and soils
Rheinhessen is characterised by a sheltered, warm and dry climate. The region records around 1,600 hours of sunshine, a vegetation period of roughly 240 days, average annual temperatures of 8.6 to 10.6 degrees Celsius and 470 to 730 millimetres of rainfall. The geological foundations consist mostly of Tertiary and Quaternary sediments. Loess and loess derivatives are the most important starting substrates; in addition, Tertiary marls and limestones also occur.
Vineyard sites
The Bechtolsheim vineyard sites belong to the Rheinhessen wine-growing area, the Nierstein and Großlage Petersberg district. The documented individual sites include Homberg, Klosterberg, Sonnenberg and Wingertstor. Homberg covers 62 hectares at an altitude of 160 to 245 metres and is oriented towards the east as far as north. Klosterberg extends over 51 hectares at 140 to 230 metres, with orientations from south-west to north-west. Sonnenberg covers 84 hectares at 145 to 195 metres and is oriented from south to south-east. Wingertstor is 42 hectares in size, lies at 145 to 170 metres and has a southern orientation.
Terroir and history
In Homberg, calcareous clay marl, pelosoil and calcareous loess, classified as Pararendzina, determine the soils. Klosterberg has deep calcareous clay marl with a high proportion of clay capable of swelling. Sonnenberg and Wingertstor have deep, fertile calcareous loess soils. The marl soils of Homberg and Klosterberg are associated with full-bodied, dense and substantial wines with moderate acidity; the loess soils of Homberg, Sonnenberg and Wingertstor with lighter or fruit-emphasising wines and refreshing acidity. A gift to the monastery of Lorsch from July 767 provides evidence of wine-growing in the Bechtolsheim district. The name Wingertstor refers to a gate in the medieval town fortifications that enabled access to the vineyards.
