Location and climate
Maikammer is located on the German Wine Route south of Neustadt an der Weinstraße, on the edge of the Palatinate Forest and below the Kalmit. The municipal area extends from about 120 to 300 metres above sea level; the nearby Kalmit rises as the highest elevation in the Palatinate Forest to around 674 metres. The climate is mild and is described by the municipality as almost Mediterranean.
Winegrowing in Maikammer
Winegrowing and wine processing are among the most important economic sectors. On around 350 hectares of vineyard area, more than 25 full-time wine estates work. The four named wine sites include Heiligenberg, Immengarten, Kapellenberg and Kirchenstück. The Immengarten is documented as a gently sloping site with an eastern aspect.
Soils and wine styles
The soils of the named sites are described as varied. Among others, the vineyards of Maikammer are associated with limestone, sandstone, loess loam, gravel-sand and calcareous marl. Documented grape varieties from one Maikammer wine estate include Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Gelber Muskateller, Spätburgunder, Chardonnay and further international varieties. The wines range from mineral-influenced and fruit-forward expressions to wines intended for longer ageing.
Historical development
Maikammer was first mentioned in documents in 1264. As early as the 16th century, winegrowing and wine trading, according to the historical records of the municipality, had an important economic significance. For 1907, the local chronicle shows 505 hectares of vineyards in the cadastral area. A winemakers’ cooperative in Alsterweiler was established in 1911, the Maikammer winemakers’ cooperative in 1914 and the Kalmit winegrowers’ association in 1920. Maikammer belongs to Pfalz, a legally defined German Qualitätsweinbau region.
