Location and classification
Rupertsberg Abbey is a legally registered single vineyard in the winegrowing region Nahe. It extends from Bingen am Rhein – Bingerbrück and Weiler bei Bingen, and lies above the historic monastery site of Rupertsberg, near the confluence of Nahe and the Rhine.
Topography and soils
The south-facing location is situated at 120 to 180 metres above sea level. Its slope gradient is 50 to 60 percent. The soils are described as weathered grey slate and phyllite slate.
Area and grape variety
The classified area of the Binger Abtei Rupertsberg comprises 11.62 hectares. The Rhineland-Palatinate directory of wine-growing sites lists 1.5 hectares of vineyard area in Bingerbrück and 1.6 hectares in Weiler. The grape variety recorded is Riesling.
History and viticulture
A document dated 16 April 1213 records the sale of a vineyard to Rupertsberg Abbey. The plot was located by the monastery mill and was referred to as Zum Eisen; later sources named the site Zur Eisel. The names of vineyards between Bingerbrück and Weiler continue to recall the former monastery and its ownership in Weiler. For the dry Riesling Abtei 1937, hand harvest, strict selection of grapes and maturation in large wooden casks are documented. Cooling at night from the Nahe valley helps to maintain freshness and preserve aromas.
