Location and vineyard landscape
Zeltingen-Rachtig is a winegrowing municipality in the Middle Mosel section of the Mosel and comprises the two localities of Zeltingen and Rachtig. The municipality lies directly on the Mosel. The vineyard landscape includes the sites Deutschherrenberg, Himmelreich, Schloßberg and Sonnenuhr.
Steep slopes and soils
The vineyards above Zeltingen-Rachtig include steep slopes. The vineyards path runs along elevations between about 139 and 255 metres and leads through Himmelreich, Schloßberg and Sonnenuhr. In Himmelreich, deep, weathered slate soils predominate, with local portions of loam, gravel and sedimentary rock. Sonnenuhr has blue, stony, weathered Devon slate soils, while Schloßberg has grey-blue Devon slate soils.
Winegrowing and wine style
Deutschherrenberg extends from the vineyards of the Abbey of Machern towards the Hochmoselbrücke bridge. In the steep-slope vineyards, the harvest is documented by hand. In Himmelreich, Riesling, Chardonnay, Weißer Burgunder and Sauvignon Blanc are grown. The documented wines from the slate steep-slope vineyards include dry Mosel wines, including Riesling. For wines from the Schloßberg, extended maturation on the lees is documented; the Tonneau wine matures in wooden casks.
Traces of history
In Zeltingen-Rachtig, a Roman winery facility has been documented. The Teutonic Order administered Rachtig since the middle of the 13th century. The Zeltinger Sonnenuhr in the vineyards dates from 1620.
