Location and viticulture
Forst is a local municipality in the Pfalz in Rhineland-Palatinate. The village lies on the German Wine Route at the edge of the Palatinate Forest and belongs to the Mittelhaardt–German Wine Route winegrowing region. The sheltered location at the Palatinate Forest is linked to a mild climate, which supports viticulture.
Soils and vineyards
The roughly 200 hectares of vineyard area lie in the low foothills at around 100 to 170 metres above sea level; several vineyards have gentle slopes. The soils consist of mixtures of basalt, weathered sandstone or sandstone gravel, limestone, loam and clay. In the Forster Ungeheuer there are red sandstone, limestone gravel and basalt. The Jesuitengarten includes, among other things, sandy clay, calcareous sandy loam with limestone gravel, basaltic weathered material and humus.
Grape varieties and wine style
Riesling is the most important grape variety documented for Forst. The Kirchenstück is planted exclusively with Riesling, while the Jesuitengarten is predominantly planted with Riesling. Forster Rieslings are described as structured and mineral, with pronounced acidity; in the Jesuitengarten, the interplay of fruit and a mineral character is emphasised. Forst lies in the geographical area of the protected designation of origin “Pfalz” and the protected geographical indication “Pfälzer Landwein”.
Historical references
Forst is documented for the first time in 1100. A distinct municipal vineyard territory existed only from 1820, although the village previously had its own forest. The name Jesuitengarten refers to earlier holdings of Jesuit monastery buildings; in 1828, the location received the second-highest classification in the Bavarian vineyard classification. The historical name “Am Frienacker” from 1460 is connected with the name Freundstück.
