Oberdiebach

Oberdiebach is a local municipality (Ortsgemeinde) in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate and belongs to the Rhein-Nahe collective municipality (Verbandsgemeinde). The municipality comprises Oberdiebach, Rheindiebach and Winzberg and lies in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley (Oberen Mittelrheintal). Rheindiebach is situated directly on the Rhine, while Winzberg is at a higher elevation. Oberdiebach forms part of the wine-growing region Mittelrhein and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Upper Middle Rhine Valley (Oberes Mittelrheintal) since 2002.

For the area, average values of around 1 °C in January, 18.5 °C in July and 9 °C in the annual mean are documented. Annual precipitation is about 500 to 600 millimetres. The steep valley slopes and the Rhine have a balancing effect on the Middle Rhine climate. Predominant are clayey slate and greywacke soils. In the Bischofshub area, weathered moderately heavy clay slate can be found, while the Fürstenberg is characterised by Devonian slate soils.

Oberdiebach includes the vineyard sites listed as single vineyards: Bischofshub, Fürstenberg, Kräuterberg and Rheinberg. Fürstenberg faces south, lies at an elevation of around 120 to 160 metres, and has a slope inclination of 50 to 60 percent. Riesling is documented as a classified grape variety for this site; in the Middle Rhine, white varieties such as Spätburgunder, Weißburgunder and Müller-Thurgau also predominate. Fürstenberg and Rheinberg are designated as single vineyards in the Rhineland-Palatinate wine sites directory.

Oberdiebach celebrated its 1,125th anniversary in 2018. The coat of arms refers to the former Fürstenberg castle, which was built to protect electoral-palatinates’ properties around Bacharach and Oberdiebach. The Bischofshub area covers around 30 hectares with former vineyard terraces, orchards, semi-dry grasslands and woodland. Since 2010, Exmoor ponies and Boer goats have been used there for landscape management.