Location and Climate
The Chestnut Busch is a vineyard site in Birkweiler in the growing region Pfalz, at the foot of the Hohenberg. The site lies at 49.205871258819° north latitude and 8.0276000746582° east longitude. The Palatinate Forest protects it from the prevailing westerly winds; at the same time, it lies in a natural basin. The south-facing orientation ensures warm days, while the altitude brings cooler nights and a pronounced temperature range between day and night. This contributes to early budding and a long ripening period.
Relief and Soils
The vineyard lies in a convex hollow and is oriented to the south to south-southeast. The VDP profile specifies an altitude of 160 to 320 metres above sea level and slope gradients of 10 to 35 per cent. The subsoil consists of Rotliegend, a skeletal, iron-bearing slate, that is, reddish slate. In addition, there is weathered Buntsandstein, limestone with deposits of limestone marl, sandy loam and fine earth.
Grape Varieties and Wines
The different soil types are planted with different grape varieties. For the classified area, the VDP profile names Riesling. Burgundy varieties are assigned in particular to the weathering Buntsandstein soils and to the limestone marl sections. The long ripening period is linked to the development of aromas in the wines from the Chestnut Busch. As VDP member estates working there, the VDP lists Ökonomierat Rebholz, Dr. Wehrheim and Kranz.
Name and Classification
The name Kastanienbusch, locally also called Keschdebusch, refers to the many sweet chestnut trees on the vineyard site. In the official wine-growing sites register of Rhineland-Palatinate, the site is listed as a single-vineyard site. The VDP also classifies the Kastanienbusch as VDP.GROSSE LAGE; this VDP classification is separate from the state-run single-vineyard classification.
