Location and classification
The Lottenstück is a legally recorded single vineyard (Einzellage) in the Nieder-Ingelheim area of Ingelheim am Rhein. It belongs to the Großlage Kaiserpfalz in the Bingen winegrowing region and is located in Rheinhessen. In the wine growing sites directory of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, it is listed under wine growing site number 710316. The planted vineyard area was 48.9 hectares in 2024 according to the wine growing sites directory.
Topography and soils
The vineyard plots lie at around 130 to 220 metres above sea level and are orientated towards the north-west. As a result, the Lottenstück is one of the cooler sites; compared with the slopes of Ingelheim that face more to the south, ripening starts several days later. The documented soils are calcareous Rendzina and sandy Rigosol. The calcareous Rendzina formed from tertiary marine deposits in connection with a calcareous algal reef and is shallow to medium-deep, strongly calcareous and stony-sandy. The sandy Rigosol consists of deep, calcareous sand that formed during the Ice Ages from windblown calcareous dust and sand.
Wine styles and grape varieties
On the calcareous Rendzina areas, expressive, aromatic wines with balanced acidity and mineral or chalky notes are produced. The sandy Rigosol areas are associated primarily with red wine styles characterised by intense fruit, dense structure and mild acidity. For the Lottenstück, Riesling, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Frühburgunder, Spätburgunder, Silvaner, Johanniter, Kerner, Scheurebe, Regent and Saint Laurent are documented, among others.
Name and cultivation
Two regional explanations are handed down for the name Lottenstück: one interpretation traces it back to the Middle High German word for a shoot or young forest, another to Lotte, the local name for a reading basket carried on the back. For organic cultivation, among other things, cover cropping, observation of soil structure, weather and disease measurements, as well as computer models are mentioned. Natural agents such as rock flour and plant extracts are also used. Work in the vineyard includes manual vine pruning, bending the canes, removing shoots, thinning and tying-in.
