Location and classification
The Affenberg is an officially designated single vineyard site in the cadastral district of Heppenheim of Worms in the Wonnegau, an area of the wine-growing region Rheinhessen. The single vineyard site belongs to the Großlage Liebfrauenmorgen.
Area and soils
The vineyard area is recorded as 57.0 hectares; the vineyard site number is 730501. Loess over pararendzina as well as gravel, sand and loam over rigosol are documented. The loess-pararendzina is described as calcareous, deep-rooting, fertile and capable of storing water. The rigosol is considered stony, better drained and more susceptible to drought stress in dry years.
Wine styles
The share of loess-pararendzina is associated with fresh, fruit-forward wines with a moderately structured profile. The soils of gravel, sand and loam are associated with firmer, Burgundy-oriented wines, including red wine styles.
Grape varieties and naming history
Gewürztraminer from the Heppenheimer Affenberg is documented for the 2017 and 2018 vintages in the official Worms wine festival catalogues. The name of the site is already attested in 1309 as “under dem affenberge”. Its name component may possibly be derived from the personal name Affo or from the elm, in German “Effe”.
