Location and classification
Dullgärten is a German single vineyard site in the municipality and cadastral district of Igel in the Upper Moselle area of the wine-growing region Mosel. In the official wine-growing sites directory of Rhineland-Palatinate, the site is listed under number 420204 within the large vineyard area of Königsberg. The directory states that in 2024 the area under vine was 3.0 hectares.
Slope and soil
The vineyards are located as a steep, south-facing slope exposed to the sun, below the limestone rock formations of Igel. The associated Mosel slope is oriented towards the south-west. The rock faces release warmth after sunset; for the area of Igel, around 600 to 700 millimetres of precipitation are given annually. Dullgärten has deep, calcareous soils formed from shell limestone. In Igel, dolomite and marl occur alongside older Buntsandstein along the geological Igeler fault.
Vines and winegrowing
In Dullgärten, the old white grape variety Elbling as well as old Pinot varieties have been planted. Elbling is named as the most important grape variety for the local vineyards. Numerous dry-stone walls made of local rock terrace or structure the steep vineyard areas; some of them are described as several centuries old.
On fallow and cleared partial areas, since 2006 grazing with Galloway cattle, goats and Soay sheep has been used to counter the growth of woody plants. For the steep Dullgärten vineyards in Igel, plant protection treatments by helicopter are also documented, in which no insecticides or herbicides are used.
Name history
Locally, the name Dullgärten is derived from the Latin words dulce, or dulcis, and is interpreted as sweet garden.
