Location and Landscape
The Michaelsberg is documented as the Cleebronn Michaelsberg in Cleebronn in the Zabergäu and is surrounded by vineyards. The detached, cone-shaped hill reaches about 394 metres above sea level. The classified vineyard site lies at 335 to 385 metres in elevation, is oriented to the south and has a slope gradient of about 40 to 50 percent.
Soil and Classification
The Michaelsberg is a vineyard site in the Keuper region of Württemberg. For the classified site, Bunter Mergel is given as the soil. A persistent westerly wind is documented for the Michaelsberg. According to the municipality of Cleebronn, viticulture at the Michaelsberg can be traced back for around 1,200 years.
Grape Varieties and Cultivation
Lemberger is the grape variety named by the VDP for the classified site. In addition, Spätburgunder and Lemberger are documented for the Michaelsberg; a small vineyard traditionally farmed is planted with Trollinger and Lemberger. For a documented Lemberger parcel, vines aged about 40 years, sustainable farming practices, yield reduction through thinning and several selective pickings are mentioned. Traditional work in a small vineyard includes training by triple pruning, manual hoeing, willow or straw bands, and the decision to forego artificial fertiliser.
Classification and Winemaking
The site belongs to the Württemberg growing area, to the Großlage Heuchelberg and to the single site Cleebronner Michaelsberg. The VDP lists a ten-hectare area as VDP.GROSSE LAGE; this is a private VDP classification and not a category under German wine law. A documented Lemberger from the Michaelsberg was made into a dry red wine with 1.3 grams of residual sugar per litre. The grapes were sorted, processed gently, fermented spontaneously on the must for an extended period of time, and subjected to natural biological acid reduction. After that, the wine matured in small oak barrels and a large wooden cask.
