Location on the Moselle
Ellenz-Poltersdorf is a twin municipality in the heart of the Cochem Krampen, about ten kilometres upstream of Cochem on the Moselle. The two districts lie on a peninsula-like stretch of land that extends towards the Eifel, along the characteristically winding course of the Moselle.
Wine country and vineyards
Vineyards surround the municipality. The local wine educational trail leads through the vineyards with changing ups and downs. The associated vineyard sites include Altarberg, Kurfürst, Rüberberger Domherrenberg, Silberberg and Woogberg.
Soils and historic vineyards
Within the municipality, Altarberg covers 40.9 hectares. Its parabrauner soils from loess and Quaternary deposits feature a loamy-clay fine soil, a high water-retaining capacity and a deep, well-rooted profile. The historic Rüberberger Domherrenberg extends over 18.6 hectares; its documented slope gradients exceed 60 per cent.
Viticulture and winemaking
The municipality’s history particularly highlights Rieslings from the Rüberberg; in the 19th century, the vineyards there were assigned to the first and second classes. Poltersdorf was also known for red wine. In Ellenz-Poltersdorf, among others, Riesling, Chardonnay, Weißburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Spätburgunder, Dornfelder, Saint Laurent, Dunkelfelder, Roter Riesling and Schwarzriesling are cultivated. For a documented Riesling bottling from the Poltersdorf Rüberberger Domherrenberg, twelve hours of maceration time, gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in a stainless-steel tank at a maximum of 15 °C and storage on the full lees until filtration in March are recorded.
