Location and landscape
Freckenfeld is a local municipality in the Germersheim district in the Palatinate and belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kandel. The municipality lies between Karlsruhe and Landau in the southern Palatinate, covers 11.14 square kilometres and is located in the built-up area at about 127 metres above sea level. The Otterbach runs through the municipal area; the Dorfbach flows into it, while the Bruchbach continues further south and the Neugraben forms part of the southern boundary.
Vine cultivation and vineyard sites
In Freckenfeld, the single vineyard site Gräfenberg is located, which belongs to the Pfalz winegrowing region and to the Großlage of Guttenberg in the Südliche Weinstraße winegrowing area. The site is documented as having 140.45 hectares. It includes the Wurmberg parcel, at about 176 metres above sea level, with slope inclines of up to 25 per cent. The vineyards are on loess hills; in the Wurmberg, a high proportion of lime in the soil is documented.
Grape varieties and wines
For the Freckenfeld Gräfenberg, among others, Cabernet varieties, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are recorded. In addition, Riesling, Grauburgunder and Sauvignon Blanc are documented as wines from the site. These include dry Riesling and dry Grauburgunder and dry Sauvignon Blanc. Lime-rich, sloping plots are used, among other things, for Cabernet varieties, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling; more strongly clay-containing soils for Dornfelder, Merlot and Grauburgunder.
History
Freckenfeld is documented in a charter from 982, confirmed by Otto II., under the historical form Frikefelt. For the surrounding area, Roman remains and finds are documented. The place belonged to the lower lordship of Guttenberg; the older village was destroyed by a fire in 1460 and then rebuilt further east. From 1798 to 1814, Freckenfeld was under French rule as part of the canton of Kandel; in 1815 it became Austrian and in 1816 it became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria.
