Location and Landscape
Kirrweiler is situated in the Pfalz, at the transition from the foothills of the Haardt to the Rhine plain. The vineyards extend over gently hilly terrain around the Kropsbachtal valley. The location on the outlying reaches of the Haardt is described as climatically favourable for winegrowing.
Winegrowing and Soils
The municipal area covers 1,430 hectares, of which 614 hectares are under vines. Around 84 percent of the plantings are accounted for by white grape varieties; cultivation of red varieties is also established. The soils in the Kirrweiler sites are predominantly characterised by loess and clay, in places by heavy loess clay. For these conditions, among others, Pinot Blanc and St. Laurent are mentioned.
Kirrweiler Wine Sites
The 2024 directory of wine sites lists the individual sites Mandelberg, Oberschloß and Römerweg within the Großlage Mandelhöhe. The vineyard areas there cover 203.8 hectares in Mandelberg, 170.8 hectares in Oberschloß and 208.7 hectares in Römerweg.
History
Kirrweiler was first mentioned in records in 1201 and in 1431 was the seat of a secular administrative district of the Prince-Bishopric of Speyer. The prince-bishopric maintained a residence and an administrative centre here; the associated moated castle was destroyed during the French Revolution. One feature of the historic Schloss is a tithe barn built in 1505, where wine tithes from the administrative districts of the prince-bishopric were delivered.
