Location and landscape
Wallertheim is a municipality in the wine-growing region Rheinhessen in Rhineland-Palatinate. Agriculture and viticulture shape land use. The municipality lies on the Wiesbach, which changes its direction of flow from north to west here, and near the Wißberg, a long, plateau-like elevation of the Rheinhessen hill country.
Soils and vineyard sites
In Wallertheim, loess deposits occur widely, especially on the slopes and on the left bank of the Wiesbach. In the former clay pit of the Wallertheim brickworks, loess is exposed. The Wallertheimer Heil site includes calcareous clays of marine origin as well as calcareous rendzinas connected with a calcareous algae reef. In the Wallertheimer Vogelsang site, loess and marl pararendzinas can be found.
Viticulture
Wallertheimer Heil is a single vineyard site of 35 hectares at an altitude of about 170 to 240 metres, with a southern to south-westerly aspect. The single vineyard site Wallertheimer Vogelsang, covering 128 hectares, lies at an altitude of about 130 to 190 metres and is oriented to the south and west. The soils of the Heil are associated with full-bodied, fruit-focused wines as well as with wines with pronounced acidity and a mineral character. For the Vogelsang, lighter, fruit-oriented or more full-bodied wines are described depending on the type of soil.
History and grape varieties
Wallertheim was first mentioned in records in 1250. The name Heil is documented around 1600 as “in der Heilen”, Vogelsang in 1599 as “auf dem Vogelsang”. The Wißberg extends over Wallertheim and Gau-Weinheim. For this site, Chardonnay, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder and Spätburgunder are listed as the cultivated grape varieties.
