Location and local districts
Billigheim-Ingenheim is a local municipality in the district of Südliche Weinstraße in Rhineland-Palatinate and belongs to Pfalz. The municipality consists of the villages of Appenhofen, Billigheim, Ingenheim and Mühlhofen. Ingenheim lies directly on the Klingbach; the municipality describes the surrounding area as Klingbachtal.
History
The municipality of Billigheim-Ingenheim was formed on 6 June 1969 through the merger of the previously independent municipalities of Appenhofen, Billigheim, Ingenheim and Mühlhofen. Billigheim was first mentioned in documents in 693 under the name Bolincheime, according to the municipal depiction.
Viticulture and wine-growing sites
In 2007, around 820 hectares of vineyard area and about 70 wine-growing businesses were given for the municipality, with a total area of 2,295 hectares. The wine-growing sites register of 2024 lists the Pfaffenberg with 250.2 hectares, the Sauschwänzel with 56.8 hectares, the Steingebiß with 154.6 hectares, the Venusbuckel with 60.8 hectares, the Mandelpfad with 26.6 hectares and the Rosenberg with 307.4 hectares in Billigheim and Mühlhofen. The Rosenberg also extends into the cadastral district of Steinweiler.
Soils, grape varieties and cultivation
For the local vineyards, loess and clay, weathered sandstone and limestone are described in particular. In the wine-growing businesses, among other varieties, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Grauburgunder, Merlot, Weißburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Muskateller are grown. Documented work in the vineyard includes winter pruning, targeted care of leaves and shoots as well as yield reduction and selective hand-harvesting. White wines are fermented cool and under controlled conditions; red wines are fermented with the must and, in part, developed in barriques.
