Location and Size
The Freyburger Mühlberg is listed in the official wine-growing site directory as a vineyard site in the municipalities of Freyburg, Schleberoda, Zeuchfeld, Branderoda, Balgstädt and Nißmitz. As of 31 December 2024, 107.7493 hectares of vineyard area were under cultivation. The site belongs to the wine-growing region of Saale-Unstrut.
Relief, Soils and Climate
A documented plot lies northwest of Freyburg, below the forest area of Neue Göhle. It is oriented south-southeast and has gradients of up to 25 degrees. Compared with other sites, the Mühlberg is considered relatively dry.
The subsoil consists of shell limestone, which is overlaid by loess and clay. Depending on the plot, the loess-clay cover varies in its extent; near the valley floor, layers of gypsum crystals are also documented.
Grape Varieties and Wine
As classified grape varieties of the Freyburger Mühlberg, Riesling and Blauer Zweigelt are listed. In individual plots, Müller-Thurgau, Cabernet Blanc, Bacchus, Regent, Grauburgunder, Silvaner and Spätburgunder are also documented.
The documented dry Riesling from the 2023 vintage shows pronounced minerality, fresh acidity, as well as citrus and stone fruit aromas. The finish is described as salty-mineral. Fermentation took place spontaneously in tonneau casks, after which the wine matured for ten months on the lees.
Classification and Name History
The VDP lists the Freyburger Mühlberg as VDP.ERSTE LAGE® in the wine-growing region of Saale-Unstrut. This classification is a private VDP classification and not a statutory designation under German wine law.
Historically, the name Freyburger Mühlberg was used for the site now called Herzoglicher Weinberg on Freyburger Mühlstraße. An area below the forest area of Hohe Göhle also bears the name Mühlberg.
