Location and landscape
Kleinkarlbach is a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate in the Bad Dürkheim district and belongs to the Leiningerland collective municipality. The place is situated about one kilometre south-west of Grünstadt and around twelve kilometres north of Bad Dürkheim on the western edge of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. Between gentle hills and vineyards, the Eckbach runs through the municipality, which lies at an elevation of 174 metres. The foothills of the Haardt protect the town and its vineyards; in addition, many hours of sunshine are recorded. Kleinkarlbach belongs to the Pfalz.
Winegrowing and vineyard sites
Around 181 hectares of the municipality’s total area of 351 hectares are planted with vines. Kleinkarlbach is described as a quality winegrowing location with the vineyard sites Frauenländchen, Herrenberg, Kieselberg, Senn and Herrgottsacker.
Wine styles and vinification
In Kleinkarlbach, red wines, fruity white wines, traditionally bottle-fermented sparkling wines and sparkling wine (perlwein) are produced. For a winery, hand-harvesting, careful manual work in the vineyards and vines aged about 25 to 50 years are documented. The hand-picked grapes ripen there in centuries-old cellars; sparkling wines are made through traditional bottle fermentation.
History
The settlement is recorded in the Lorscher Codex for the year 770 under the name Karlebach. The local history also refers to traces from the Hallstatt period and later evidence of Roman settlement. Historical forms of the name are Carlobahobe, Obercarlenbach and Kleinkarlbach.
