Location and Terroir
The Meißner Kapitelberg is located in Meißen in Saxony and, as a single vineyard site (Einzellage) within the Großlage Spaargebirge, has been documented in the Meißen area. The vineyard area covers around 42 hectares. The south-facing vineyard shows slopes of up to about 30 percent. Its proximity to the Elbe promotes a microclimate, while the southern orientation reduces the effects of winter and late frosts. The site receives high levels of sunshine and warmth.
Soils and Vineyard Landscape
A documented soil profile of the Meißner Kapitelberg describes a normal Rigosol of gravelly sand from granodiorite and loess loam over periglacial granodiorite debris. In the local site description, weathering products of granitic and syenitic rocks are named as predominant; the soils are considered well-draining and heat-retentive. The vineyard landscape includes terraced parcels and historic dry-stone walls, the restoration of which at the Kapitelberg has been documented.
History and Cultivation
Until the 19th century, the Kapitelberg belonged to the Meissen cathedral chapter (Domkapitel). The historic Kapitelberg estate was established in 1674 on partly older vineyard sites; the building housed the town’s vineyard master. The former town winery at the Meißner Kapitelberg was acquired in 1999 by the winery Vincenz Richter. Documented are controlled, environmentally friendly cultivation, yield limitation, and a late selective hand harvest.
Grape Varieties and Wines
At the Meißner Kapitelberg, among others, Riesling, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Kerner, Spätburgunder, Traminer, further Pinot varieties and Scheurebe are documented. Wines with a site designation include dry quality wines from Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder and Kerner, a finely-fruited Riesling quality wine, as well as a Traminer Auslese. From the grapes associated with the Kapitelberg, bottled-fermented sparkling wines are also produced, whose cuvées sometimes spend several years on the lees. For processing, gentle pressing, individual must fractionation, whole-cluster pressing and fermentation in stainless-steel tanks or wooden casks are documented.
