Location and classification
The Klosterberg is a German single vineyard in Bechtolsheim and belongs to the Petersberg grand cru within the Nierstein sub-region of Rheinhessen. The name refers to the neighbourhood of the Petersberg, where a pilgrimage church stands.
Register and area
In the Rhineland-Palatinate wine-growing site register, the Klosterberg in Bechtolsheim is listed as a single vineyard under number 720605 within the Petersberg grand cru. According to the 2024 harvest inventory report, the planted vineyard area is 49.2 hectares.
Soil and wine style
The soil consists of marl and pelo-sol, meaning calcareous clay deposits from the Tertiary. The deep, calcareous clay has a high proportion of swellable clays; it is rich in nutrients and strongly calcareous. Water and air permeability are limited, and the soil also makes it harder for the roots to penetrate. The wines are described as full-bodied, dense and rich, with moderate acidity and a creamy texture; ripe fruit is in the foreground rather than pronounced minerality.
Grape varieties and vinification
For the Klosterberg, Riesling, Silvaner and Portugieser are documented by Weingut Lutz. The dry Riesling is described as lively and powerful, with notes of citrus fruits, apple and ripe peach. The dry Silvaner is considered light and piquant. The Portugieser is semi-dry, fine-fruited and velvety, with strawberry and aromas of fresh forest fruits. For the single-vineyard wines, old vines are harvested for higher must weights; afterwards, there is a longer lees ageing period and maturation in small-format vessels.
