Location and wine-growing area
Waldrach is a wine-growing community in the Lower Ruwertal on the River Ruwer in Rhineland-Palatinate. The community belongs to the protected German wine-growing region Mosel, which also includes the Ruwer.
Steep slopes and soils
The vineyards around Waldrach are located predominantly on steep slopes. Documented experimental plots show south-west-facing slopes with inclines of about 15 to 30 degrees. The subsoil consists of Devonian greywacke, slate and quartzite; near the drainage systems of the Ruwer and Mosel, Pleistocene fine sediments occur.
Waldrach covers around 1,200 hectares. In the historical overview of the community, about 70 hectares of vineyards are mentioned, while the account for viticulture shows a local area of vines of approximately 20 hectares.
Grape varieties and wine style
In Waldrach, Riesling, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder and Spätburgunder are grown. The community describes the wines of the Ruwer as Riesling-driven, with fine acidity, mineral notes, fruit character, lightness and ageing potential. The Ehrenberg is among the sites listed for winegrowing in Waldrach.
For the vineyard areas, an average annual rainfall of about 765 millimetres is given. The highest amounts occur in summer, the lowest between February and April.
Historical development
The community links the beginning of intensive winegrowing in the Ruwertal with the Roman period and reports archaeological remains of Roman settlements in Waldrach. A church inventory from 1212 listed 15 vineyards; a state survey from 1721 recorded 379,563 vines.
