Location and landscape
Idig is a classified vineyard site in Königsbach in the wine-growing region Pfalz. The site, which faces south to south-southeast, has a slope of around 20 per cent and lies at about 145 to 180 metres above sea level.
Climate and soil
The Haardt and the Rolandsberg provide protection against cold westerly winds. Air flowing off the Stabenberg keeps the vines and grapes dry. On long summer days, the sunlight lasts until the evening. The vineyard lies on a powerful limestone massif made up of tertiary limestone deposits, which are connected with the subsidence of the Upper Rhine Graben. The Terra fusca of the topsoil originated from limestone and clay and contains limestone stones, Bundsandstein gravel and basalt.
Area and vines
The classified area comprises around 6.53 hectares; as classified grape varieties, the VDP lists Riesling and Spätburgunder. A. Christmann cultivates 2.8 hectares of Riesling and 0.8 hectares of Spätburgunder. The Riesling parcels include old, partly own-rooted vines as well as younger vines; the planting year is documented as 1995. The Spätburgunder is grown in two upper parcels planted in 1977 and 2008 with French massale selections.
Classification and history
Idig is classified as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE. Dry wines from such sites are referred to as VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS according to the VDP classification rules. The site has been documented since the 14th century as the estate of the Palatinate electors. According to A. Christmann, the special property was formed through more than 400 years in the possession of the Counts Palatine.
Harvest and maturation
A. Christmann selectively hand-harvests Riesling and Spätburgunder and picks the grapes into small crates. The Idig Riesling ferments spontaneously in wooden barrels. For the Idig Spätburgunder, spontaneous fermentation takes place with ten per cent whole-cluster; the 2021 vintage matured until January 2023 in barriques, of which ten per cent were in new oak.
