Location and municipality
Zotzenheim is a wine-growing municipality in Rheinhessen and belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde Sprendlingen-Gensingen in Rhineland-Palatinate. The municipal area covers around 300 hectares, with roughly a quarter of it used for viticulture.
Landscape and climate
The Zotzenheimer Horn is an elevated viewpoint in the municipality, offering views over the hilly landscape of Rheinhessen. Rheinhessen has a warm and comparatively dry climate: the average annual temperature is about 9.9 °C, while during the growing season it is 14.6 °C; around 550 millimetres of precipitation fall each year.
Vineyard sites and soils
Zotzenheim includes the individual vineyard sites Johannisberg and Klostergarten. Both are located in the area of Bingen and within the Großlage St. Rochuskapelle. The 2024 entry in the vineyard register lists 31.6 hectares for the Johannisberg and 49.3 hectares for the Klostergarten. The soils are classified as marl / pararendzina and consist of calcareous loams and sands from tertiary marine deposits. They are deep, calcareous and rich in clay.
History and wine character
Wine growing in Zotzenheim is documented in a deed of the Abbey of Lorsch from the year 771 under the historical name Zarenzanheim. The name Johannisberg refers to the former ownership of the collegiate foundation Johannisberg near Dhaun, while Klostergarten goes back to the ownership of an old monastic estate. The Johannisberg is oriented to the south-west; the Klostergarten has south-western and north-western orientations and a gently sloping terrain. The soil profiles of both sites are associated with structured, full-bodied wines and balanced acidity, as well as with fruit character found in both white and red wines.
