Location and municipality
Stadecken-Elsheim is a local municipality in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate and belongs to the Nieder-Olm collective municipality. The municipality lies around 15 kilometres south-west of Mainz in the wine-growing region Rheinhessen and extends on both sides of the Selz. It comprises the two localities of Stadecken and Elsheim.
Landscape and viticulture
The local climate is described, in connection with the conditions for wine-growing, as particularly mild. The vineyards are located on the Mainzer Berg and in the landscape of the Selz valley. In Stadecken, the sites Spitzberg and Lenchen extend from about 130 to 200 metres above sea level. Spitzberg has south-facing, west-facing and north-facing exposures, while Lenchen is oriented from east to north.
Soils of the wine sites
The Stadecker Spitzberg is characterised by fertile loess and heavy clayey marl, including calcareous clay soils and loess pararendzina. The Stadecker Lenchen contains loess, sand and clayey marl. The Elsheimer Blume features calcareous sandy marl, marl-pelosol and calcareous clay referred to as Terra fusca. The Elsheimer Bockstein features loess pararendzina and Terra fusca.
History and wine profiles
Viticulture in Stadecken-Elsheim has been documented since the eighth century. The municipality was formed in 1969 through the merger of the neighbouring villages of Stadecken and Elsheim. The local wine sites include, among others, Stadecker Spitzberg, Stadecker Lenchen, Elsheimer Blume, Elsheimer Bockstein and Elsheimer Tempelchen. For the sites Spitzberg, Lenchen, Blume and Bockstein, classification into the Nierstein sub-region and the Großlage Domherr is documented.
