Location and landscape
Hochstadt is a local municipality in the district of Südliche Weinstraße and belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Offenbach an der Queich in Rhineland-Palatinate. The municipality lies on the edge of a loess plateau used for agriculture and viticulture. In addition, the landscape includes loess hollows (Lösshohlwege).
History
Hochstadt was first mentioned in 776 in a document associated with the Lorsch Abbey. It refers to a meadow in the Hohunstater marca. The formerly independent municipalities of Oberhochstadt and Niederhochstadt were united into the municipality of Hochstadt/Pfalz on 1 January 1970.
Viticulture
Viticulture in Hochstadt is historically documented. The deep loess and loess-clay soils around the municipality are used for viticulture; locally, calcareous and in part sandy soils are also described. In the vineyards, cover crops (interplanting/alternating greening) are used and the soils are carefully managed. One estate also reports largely dispensing with herbicides and insecticides, as well as manual work in dealing with the foliage.
Single vineyard Roter Berg
The Rote Berg is an officially listed single vineyard (Einzellage) in the Großlage Trappenberg in the Niederhochstadt district. The 2024 vineyard register lists 174.7 hectares of planted vineyard area for this site. A documented dry Riesling from the 2025 vintage originates from the Roter Berg and is a German quality wine from the Palatinate with 12.5% vol alcohol. Flavours described include peach, mango, mandarin, apricot, pineapple and citrus fruits, as well as a refreshing acidity and a long finish.
