Location and climate
The vineyards of Wiesbaden belong geographically and legally to the Rheingau. Here, the Rhine bends sharply westwards at the Rheinknie. The city area extends from the heights of the Taunus via the Taunus foothills and the Wiesbaden basin to the Rhine plain; in between there are more than 500 metres of elevation. Mild winters and warm summers characterise the climate. The forested slopes of the Taunus protect against cold north winds, while the Rhine contributes to warming by reflecting heat. In the Rheingau, it is stated that more than 1,600 hours of sunshine occur annually, around 580 millimetres of rainfall, and a mean annual temperature of 10.6 °C.
Vine growing and grape varieties
In Wiesbaden, 239 hectares of vineyard area are officially recognised, of which 183 hectares were under cultivation. Active vineyard areas are located, among other places, in Kostheim, Frauenstein, Schierstein, Dotzheim, Delkenheim and in the north-east of the city. Riesling dominates with about 80 per cent of production, while Spätburgunder accounts for around 10 per cent. In Kostheim, alongside Riesling and Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay also grow. Schierstein offers a broader range, including Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Silvaner, Dornfelder, Saint Laurent and Merlot.
Soils and wine-growing sites
The soils differ significantly depending on the location. The Kostheimer Steig is characterised by sandy and gravelly deposits of the Main, with loess and loess marl. In the Weiß Erd, loess and loess marl soils are found with varying amounts of gravelly tertiary marl, while the St. Kiliansberg has clayey, lime-rich marl soils. The Frauensteiner Herrnberg features medium- to deep-rooting loess marl soils as well as soils formed by the weathering of phyllite. On the Neroberg, the Riesling vines grow on stony, gravelly soils made of sericite gneiss with loess marl admixtures.
History and wine style
Archaeological finds show that wine-growing in the Wiesbaden area already existed in the second century AD. Vineyards are mentioned in writing in Kostheim in 927 and in Schierstein in 973; for Dotzheim, wine-growing has been documented since 1275, and for Delkenheim since 1290. The Neroberg was first cleared for wine-growing in 1525/1526 and is today designated as a cultural monument and a protected site. The wines of the Dotzheimer Judenkirch are described as being influenced by the soil and by steel-like acidity. The Riesling from the Neroberg is considered fruity-spicy, with a piquant interplay of acidity, and in youth it is often tightly closed.
