Location and classification
Bottchen is a legally registered single vineyard (Einzellage) in the municipality and cadastral district of Wittlich in the wine-growing region Mosel. It belongs to the Bernkastel area and to the Großlage Schwarzlay. In the official vineyard register, the site is listed under the code 410948; in the register as of 15 October 2024, 4.5 hectares of vineyard area are recorded.
Topography and soils
A soil survey from 1931 recorded south-west-facing, steep partial areas, with samples from the lower and higher sections of the site. A winery that counts Bottchen among its Wittlich vineyards describes the soils of these vineyards as slate.
Name and wines
The historical interpretation of the site name traces Bottchen back to the Latin podium, which denotes a projecting or salient place. Under the designation Bottchen, wines made from Riesling, Regent, Kerner and Spätburgunder are documented. These include, among others, Riesling Kabinett feinherb, Riesling Eiswein, Kerner Beerenauslese, Regent dry and Spätburgunder feinherb; an Spätburgunder Auslese trocken from 2011 is also recorded.
Farming and maturation
For the vineyards of the named winery, documented practices include hand-harvest with selective choice, repeated pre-sorting before the harvest, canopy work in summer, and a reduction in yield in August. The range of wines extends from dry to edelsüß styles. Spätburgunder and Merlot are sometimes matured for up to 24 months in wooden barrels.
