Location and classification
Biengarten is an officially listed single vineyard site in the cadastral district Frankweiler in the wine-growing region Pfalz, in the area of Southern Wine Route. The official directory of vineyard sites lists 62.9 hectares of vine-covered land. The VDP classifies Frankweiler Biengarten as VDP.ERSTE LAGE® and specifies 16.61 hectares of classified area for it.
Topography and soils
The VDP profile describes a south-easterly aspect, an altitude of 185 to 190 metres above sea level and a slope gradient of 10 to 25 percent. The soil is described as calcareous marl and Buntsandstein over limestone. For Spätburgunder, clay with quartz-lime is also documented.
Grape varieties and wine styles
In the VDP profile, Riesling is listed as the grape variety. A documented Biengarten Riesling is made dry and the producer describes it as having pronounced acidity as well as a chalky, saline mineral character. Winemanufaktur Lidy also documents Spätburgunder from Biengarten as a dry, site-designated red wine.
Vine management and maturation
For the Biengarten Riesling, Weingut Dr. Wehrheim documents yield reduction during the growing season, selective hand-harvesting, temperature-controlled fermentation and reductive ageing in stainless steel. For the Biengarten Spätburgunder, gentle processing of the grapes, must fermentation, maturation in barriques and unfiltered bottling are mentioned; selective hand-harvesting takes place at a yield of 34 hectolitres per hectare.
