Location and landscape
Bretzenheim is a municipality in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate and lies on the lower Nahe between Bingen and Bad Kreuznach. The municipality belongs to the wine region Nahe and is situated at the confluence of the Guldenbach, Appelbach and Nahe. The landscape includes the Nahe river lowlands and adjacent vineyard slopes with views across the lower Nahe as far as Bad Kreuznach and the Rheingau.
Climate and soils
The Hunsrück protects the vineyards from cold winds. The valley is characterised by mild temperatures, lots of sunshine and comparatively low rainfall. In the vineyard sites, clay, loam, loess, sandstone and gravel are found. The Pastorei also features clayey limestone with marl.
Winegrowing
The four Bretzenheim vineyard sites Felsenköpfchen, Hofgut, Pastorei and Vogelsang together form the Großlage Kronenberg. They are recorded as independent vineyard sites in the Nahe growing area. For the Pastorei, Spätburgunder and Chardonnay are also documented.
History
Archaeological finds provide evidence that Bretzenheim has been settled since the Neolithic period around 5000 BC, as well as further settlement phases in the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman period. The first reliable documentary mention dates from the year 1057. In 1774 Bretzenheim became a county and in 1789 it became a principality under Carl August von Heydeck. After the Napoleonic period, the town came under Prussian rule in 1815.
