Winegrowing on the Middle Rhine
Leutesdorf is a winegrowing municipality on the Middle Rhine and is assigned to the Middle Rhine wine-growing region. In this area, the town belongs to the Loreley district and to the Großlage Burg Hammerstein. The climate of the region is considered favourable for viticulture and for growing Riesling.
Steep slopes and Gartenlay
The vineyards of Leutesdorf include steep slopes with historical terraces and dry-stone walls. Above the town lies the single-vineyard Gartenlay, which is listed in the vineyard register as a planted site with 42.7 hectares in the Leutesdorf cadastral area. Its soils contain a high proportion of weathered slate. In the regional geological materials of the Lower Middle Rhine, pumice, greywacke and volcanic rock are also named as important vineyard materials.
Grape varieties and wine styles
Riesling is documented in wines from the Leutesdorf Gartenlay; Kerner, Spätburgunder and Dornfelder are also mentioned. Documented Rieslings include dry and finely off-dry wines as well as Kabinett and Spätlese. A Dornfelder from the Gartenlay is documented as Qualitätswein.
Historical development
The first local historical evidence for winegrowing is attributed to Venantius Fortunatus, who reported on the vine-covered slopes in the year 565. Between the 11th and 15th centuries, the winegrowing area of Leutesdorf reached its greatest extent; for this period, ownership of vineyards by medieval religious institutions is also documented.
