Location and classification
The officially registered single-vineyard Westerhäuser Königstein is located in the cadastral areas of Quedlinburg and Westerhausen in Saxony-Anhalt. It belongs to the wine-growing region Saale-Unstrut, to the Mansfelder Seen area, and is not assigned to any large-scale site. The site lies on the south-facing slope of the Königstein near Westerhausen in the northern Harz foreland.
Relief, soil and climate
The Königstein is an approximately 189 to 190-metre-high sandstone ridge from the Lower Cretaceous on the southern wing of the Quedlinburg syncline. Locally weathered siliceous or quartzitic sandstone shapes the south-facing slope. The cultivation soil is described as stony and comparatively loamy, with good water-retention capability. The site is under the protection of the Harz; the Brocken rain shadow as well as the deflection of cold northwesterly winds by the hill ranges of the Quedlinburg syncline count among the local climatic factors.
Development and cultivation
The vineyard area was created by converting an old orchard plantation on the southern terrace of the Königstein into a steep-slope vineyard. The first experimental vines were planted in 1988, around 1,000 square metres were established in 1989, and in 1991 the first ten bottles were produced. As of 31 December 2024, the registered vineyard area comprised 2.5935 hectares.
Grape varieties and ageing
The site is cultivated by Harzer Weingut Kirmann. The winery works with low yields and carries out the grape harvest exclusively by hand. The vineyard is planted with, among others, Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Riesling, Traminer, Spätburgunder, Dornfelder and Cabernet Mitos. For ageing, modern cellar technology and traditional maturation in wooden barrels are used. In addition, wines from separate moon and sun harvests are pressed and vinified separately.
