Location and natural setting
Gimbsheim is a municipality covering 17.62 km² in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate and is part of the wine region Rheinhessen. The municipality is bordered by the Gimbsheim Old Rhine (Gimbsheimer Altrhein), covering 160 hectares, which has been designated a nature reserve since 1977.
Vineyard sites and soils
Winegrowing is one of the historically significant agricultural activities in Gimbsheim. The quality-focused vineyard sites Gimbsheimer Sonnenweg and Gimbsheimer Liebfrauenthal lie at an altitude of 85 to 90 metres and belong to the Großlage Krötenbrunnen in the Nierstein area of the Rheinhessen growing region.
Both sites feature sand-rigosol soils from Ice Age, calcareous wind deposits. The Sonnenweg is characterised by deep, calcareous and well-aerated soils; in the Liebfrauenthal, the soils are described as deep, silty-sandy, nutrient-rich and calcareous. The name Sonnenweg refers to the site’s southern exposure.
Wine style
For the Sonnenweg, wines are described as fruit-driven, with a comparatively mild acidity and a dense structure, with a tendency towards red rather than white wine styles. The Liebfrauenthal is associated with fruit wines, buffered acidity and a medium body; for white wines, yellow-fruit notes are in the foreground, while for red wines red-fruit notes take centre stage.
History
Gimbsheim was first documented in 767 in the Lorsch Codex. Historical records mention the place as early as the years 766 and 770 in forms such as Gimminsheim and repeatedly refer, from 766 onwards, to donations to the Lorsch Abbey.
