Location and classification
The Höllenweg is an official single-vineyard site in the Qualitätsweinbaugebiet Rheinhessen, Bingen area, Großlage Kaiserpfalz. The wine-growing site with the official number 710313 is located in Ingelheim am Rhein, in the cadastral district of Nieder-Ingelheim. Vine cultivation covers 10.3 hectares of planted vineyard area.
Soils and topography
The site lies at about 120 to 135 metres above sea level and faces north-west. Marl/Pararendzina as well as sand/Rigosol have been documented. The marl and Pararendzina soils consist of calcareous loams and sands in connection with deposits from the Tertiary sea. The sand/Rigosol soils are described as calcareous windblown sands deposited during the Ice Ages. Their heat retention ranges from moderate to good; with the warmth, thicker berry skins are associated.
Grape varieties and wine style
In documented Höllenweg plantings, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder and Chardonnay grow. The wines from the marl and Pararendzina soils are described as full-bodied and powerful, with balanced acidity. From the sand/Rigosol soils come fruit-forward, dense wines that tend more towards red wine styles. The site profile also links the Höllenweg with mineral Burgundian wines and a virtually saline finish.
Name and production
For the year 1355, the name is documented as “ame heldewege” and is derived from a Middle High German term in connection with “Halde”, meaning slope or hillside. A documented property comprises, on the upper hillside, a one-hectare cross terrace. For a Chardonnay from the Höllenweg, early harvesting, slow pressing, spontaneous fermentation in large wooden vessels, longer ageing on lees, and bottling without fining and filtration are documented.
