Location and landscape
Eich lies in the Rhine plain in eastern Alzey-Worms. The Rhine forms the eastern boundary of the Verbandsgemeinde; the municipality is shaped by its location on the Rhine and the Altrhein. Unlike the hilly interior of Rheinhessen, Eich belongs to the flat Rhine plain.
Climate
The wine-growing region Rheinhessen has average annual values of 11.1 °C, 530 millimetres of rainfall, 280 days of the growing season and around 1,970 hours of sunshine.
Eicher Goldberg
The Eicher Goldberg is an officially documented single vineyard site in the cadastral area of Eich. As part of the wine-growing region Rheinhessen, it belongs to the Nierstein area and the Großlage Krötenbrunnen. The soil is classified as sand-rigosol: a deep, calcareous sandy soil consisting of calcareous dust and sand deposited during the Ice Age. It stores water moderately, is well aerated, can be warmed moderately to well, is calcareous and is easy for roots to penetrate.
The site profile describes the wines as rather more red- than white-wine focused. Heat-favoured, thick berry skins, pronounced fruit, depth, mild acidity and a dense structure shape the style. The wines open early and benefit from ripeness.
History and designation of origin
Eich was first mentioned in records of the Lorsch monastery in 782 under the name Heichin. The vineyard name Goldberg has been documented in Eich since 1523. Rheinhessen is a protected designation of origin; for wines bearing this designation, requirements of the European Union apply regarding ripening categories, vinification methods and sensory testing.
