Location and soils
The Hopfenberg lies in the cadastral district of Großvargula on the Unstrut in the Saale-Unstrut region. The vineyard area is on a south-facing slope of the Unstrut valley. The soil is described as calcareous; the site details cite loess clay over Bunter sandstone and shell limestone, as well as red claystone from the Lower Bunter Sandstone. As at 31 December 2024, the officially listed area covered 0.7350 hectares.
Vines and wine
The most important documented grape variety is Regent. In 2001, it was planted across the entire vineyard area. Regent is used to produce the dry red wine Mons lupi. From the vintage 2017, which was affected by false mildew and cherry vinegar flies, a rosé was also produced.
History and cultivation
Viticulture in Großvargula locally dates back at least to around 1300. The present-day vineyard was laid out in 1954, reactivated in 2000 and newly planted in the spring of 2001. The first harvest from the new planting took place in October 2003. Pruning of the vines is carried out in February or March. Irrigation is done by hand; there is no irrigation system. Grapes that are not suitable for wine-making are selectively removed; harvesting is carried out manually with the participation of volunteers and students.
Climate and vinification
At the site, mist occurs in the Unstrut valley and, in humid years, there is high air humidity. Drought can reduce the size of the berries and vine growth. The grapes are processed in Bad Sulza and, there, bottled according to the municipality's information on wine-making provided by Andreas Klaus. The legally recognised single-vineyard name is Hopfenberg, with Großvargula as the associated municipality; in current details of vineyard sites, the form Großvargulaer Hopfenberg is used.
