Location and landscape
Mauerberg is a vineyard site in Neuweier near Baden-Baden in the Baden wine-growing region in Germany. The exposed, terraced hillside reaches slopes of up to 60 percent. High dry-stone walls support the terraces, on which mostly one or two rows of vines find space. The site is oriented to the south; for the classified plot Mauerwein, a west-south-westerly orientation, an altitude of 200 to 300 metres and a gradient of 40 to 60 percent are stated.
Climate and soils
During the day, warm rising winds from the Rhine plain influence Mauerberg, while in the evening cool downflow winds from the Black Forest take effect. The soils are described as granite weathering soils and, in the vineyard area, include arkose sandstone, Upper Carboniferous, mica-rich slate and volcanic quartz porphyry. For the classified Mauerwein plot, carbon is documented as the bedrock.
Grape variety and wine
Riesling is the documented main grape variety of Mauerberg. The dry Riesling produced from it is described as mineral, precise and firmly structured, with fine fruit and a long finish. The designation Mauerwein has been used for more than 250 years. The first Riesling vines on Mauerberg were planted in 1785 by Franz-Philipp von Knebel-Katzenellenbogen.
Cultivation and classification
The steep terraces require manual work; the grapes for Mauerberg are selectively hand-picked. Mauerberg “Mauerwein” is listed with the VDP as VDP.GROSSE LAGE® with a classified area of 0.80 hectares and Riesling as the classified grape variety. For the documented vintage 2018, the grapes were lightly crushed, pressed for three to four hours and clarified for 48 hours. Fermentation took place spontaneously at 18 °C; part of the must fermented with whole berries in wooden casks and was then blended with the portion fermented in stainless steel.
