Location and Topography
Kirchberg is a historic vineyard site in Moselkern on the lower Elz and at the transition from the Moselle valley into the Elz valley. The earlier steep, terraced vineyard, previously divided into small plots, was oriented towards the south-west.
Soil and Climate
The vineyard sites in the lower Elz valley, including Kirchberg, are characterised by slate soils from the Moselle. At the transition between the Moselle and the Elz valley, the Moselle provides warmth that lasts longer, while the Elz valley is cooler inland and receives less sunlight.
History and Grape Variety
A map from 1961 lists Kirchberg among the vineyard sites in the Moselkern section of the Elz valley. There, winegrowing was extensive in the late 19th and early 20th century; historically, Riesling was planted.
Cultivation and Abandonment
Cultivating the steep sites required recurring manual labour, including vine pruning, tying-in, soil care, training/raising, removing shoots and cutting the shoots. A transport cable railway built in the 1960s supported the work. Winegrowing was gradually abandoned because of the difficult accessibility and the high cultivation costs; former terrace walls are preserved on reforested slopes.
