Location and designation
The K. Viktoriaberg corresponds to the officially designated single vineyard Hochheimer Königin Viktoriaberg in Hochheim am Main in the Rheingau. The winegrowing site extends along the Main between Hochheim and Flörsheim. The official name of the plot is Dechantenruhe; the site is classified as a single vineyard within the protected Rheingau protected designation of origin area.
Topography and soils
The south-facing vineyard lies at around 90 to 110 metres above sea level and has a slope gradient of 15 to 20 percent. It is approximately 100 metres wide and rises from the riverside position towards the Sandweg. The documented soil consists of alluvial deposits over limestone.
Climate and viticulture
The site at the foot of a terrain step provides protection against cold north winds. The microclimate on the Main side inhibits the formation of cold-air pools. The classified area comprises 4.00 hectares; Riesling is documented as the classified grape variety. The VDP lists Joachim Flick as the VDP winemaker working there and classifies Königin Victoriaberg Dechantenruhe as VDP.GROSSE LAGE®.
History and wine style
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Hochheim in 1845 and took part in a wine tasting in the vineyard site, at that time regarded as the best in the municipality, known as the Königin Victoria site. Five years later, Georg Michael Pabstmann received approval to name the site after Queen Victoria. On 24 May 1854, a Königin-Victoria monument was unveiled there, which is listed as a protected cultural monument of the state of Hesse. The wines of the site are described as Rieslings with an interplay of fruit and acidity; also documented are dry Rieslings and Riesling Grosses Gewächs.
