Location and Climate
Kostheim lies at the confluence of the Main and the Rhine and is assigned by the regional wine authorities to the Upper Rheingau. The local viticultural climate is shaped by the Mainz Basin; the grapes often ripen about two weeks earlier than in other parts of the Rheingau.
The site of Kostheimer Weiss Erd above the Main is south-facing, lies at an altitude of around 90 metres and has a slope of about 30 per cent. The warm, moderate influence of the Rhine plain there combines with cool nights through descending air from the Taunus. The orientation and the outflow of cold air shape the view towards Mainz and the Main.
Soils and Viticulture
Kostheim has been documented since Roman times as a wine-growing settlement. On the Kostheimer Steig, the soils consist of sandy-gravelly deposits of the Main, with loess and loess loam. Weiss Erd has loess and loess-loam soils with varying proportions of gravel derived from tertiary marl; the calcareous marl appears white when dry. At the Kostheimer St. Kiliansberg, the subsoil is shaped by clayey, calcareous marl soils with a small proportion of skeletal material.
Riesling and Spätburgunder are the most important grape varieties. In addition, Grauburgunder, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay are grown.
Wine Styles
The wines from the Kostheimer Steig are described as harmonious, with a piquant acidity and a subtle interplay of aromas. The Weiss Erd wines are full-bodied and characterised by lively fruit acidity, but can appear closed off when young. From the St. Kiliansberg come full-bodied wines with distinct, mineral acidity.
Historical Context
Kostheim was first mentioned in 790 under the name Copsistaino and for centuries was a centre of arable farming, fruit growing and wine growing. In 1913, the town was incorporated into the city of Mainz. Under German wine law, the Rheingau is designated as a specified wine-growing region; the Kostheim wine sites are managed within this wine-growing region.
