Location and landscape
Klotten lies on the Upper Terrace Moselle in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The Moselle flows through the town in a wide bend; between Cochem and Klotten it runs comparatively straight or only slightly curved. The landscape is shaped by steep vineyards facing south, deeply incised side valleys and rocky terrain. The slate slopes are considered climatically mild, as the slate stores heat.
Vineyard sites and soils
The Klotten single vineyard sites Brauneberg, Burg Coreidelsteiner and the Klotten section of Rosenbergs belong to the wine-growing region Mosel and the Burg Cochem area. For 2024, 2.5 hectares are recorded in Brauneberg, 10.6 hectares in Burg Coreidelsteiner and 2.6 hectares in the Klotten Rosenberg. In the vineyards, slate and slate weathering soils occur; Brauneberg has pure slate weathering soil.
Vines and cultivation
Riesling is documented for the Klotten vineyards and is associated with fine-fruited, racy wines. In the historical section of the Rosenbergs, located between Pommern and Klotten, Riesling vines grow on stony, skeletal-rich soils and, in the lower area, medium-deep slate weathering soils. The roughly three-hectare section has slope inclines of more than 60 percent. Dry stone walls and stairways bear witness to the traditional form of cultivation; at the same time there is a certain tendency to abandon it. In Klotten, traditional fall-line cultivation and newer large terraces come together. At Burg Coreidelsteiner, older vines with an age of more than 60 years are also documented.
Historical character
Klotten is mentioned in a deed from the year 698. The slate extraction and its transport also shaped the town: slate from the Moselle was loaded onto ships there and shipped internationally.
