Location and landscape
The Altenberg lies between Dörzbach and Klepsau in the Jagst valley, and forms part of the wine-growing region Württemberg. The south-facing vineyard site also includes some very steep plots.
Geology and climate
The Altenberg is located in a Muschelkalk landscape. Geological outcrops on the vineyard are assigned to the Lower Muschelkalk; at the same time, the site is close to the transition from the Middle to the Lower Muschelkalk. The mineral-rich, heat-storing soils are described regionally as Muschelkalk soils with high proportions of limestone and clay.
The Kocher-Jagst-Hohenlohe landscape shows, in its deeper western areas, a mild and relatively balanced climate. On the Hohenlohe plateau around Dörzbach, around 850 to over 900 millimetres of precipitation fall each year.
Cultivation and wine law
At the Altenberg, most of the vines are cultivated from Dörzbach. In the 1990s, some of the steeper plots were abandoned due to the labour-intensive manual work. Afterwards, small terraced areas that can be accessed by vehicle were created to make cultivation easier.
The Altenberg is classified as a single-vineyard (Einzellage) within the Großlage Kocherberg in the Kocher-Jagst-Tauber area.
Wine-growing history
The vineyard site belongs to a traditional wine-growing landscape in the Jagst valley. There, wine growing was documented up to the 20th century as an important source of income.
