Location and classification
Hardtberg is a protected single vineyard within the cadastral district Dernau in the Ahr winegrowing region Ahr. It belongs to the Walporzheim/Ahrtal area and the larger site Klosterberg. In the vineyard register for the 2024 harvest year, 24.1 hectares of planted vineyard area are listed.
Topography and soils
The south-facing site is broken up by smaller side valleys such as Albental, Eigelstal and Rötzeltal. Terraces with stone walls characterise the steep sections; the slope gradient is typically 30 to 40 percent and reaches up to 60 percent. The terrain lies at an altitude of 190 to 250 metres.
Documented are slate, greywacke and clay. Greywacke is described as feldspar-containing sandstone, while clay occurs in the lower areas.
Grape varieties and wines
For the Dernauer Hardtberg, Spätburgunder and Frühburgunder are classified. H.J. Kreuzberg produces from parcels in the upper Eigelstal a dry Frühburgunder as a site-designated wine and as Grosses Gewächs.
Classification and history
VDP classifies 22 hectares of the Dernauer Hardtberg as VDP.ERSTE LAGE; this private classification does not correspond to the area of the statutory vineyard register. The vineyards also cover part of the former government bunker complex, which was built from 1958 to 1972, abandoned by the Federal Government in 1997 and partially dismantled from 2001 onwards. For vineyard management, among other things, partial defoliation in late summer, thinning and selective hand-harvesting are documented.
