Location and Classification
Propstberg is a single vineyard in the Württemberg winegrowing region, in the Kocher-Jagst-Tauber area, and extends across the Elpersheim and Markelsheim local districts. Elpersheim belongs to Weikersheim, Markelsheim to Bad Mergentheim. Under wine law, the site is assigned to the Großlage Kocherberg.
Topography and Soils
The vineyard, which faces south to south-west, lies at about 220 to 260 metres above sea level. The slope gradient is approximately 15 to 30 percent. The soils are described as shell limestone; the Riedle parcel in the Markelsheim Propstberg lies on shell limestone bedrock exposed at the surface.
Grape Varieties and Wines
The most important grape varieties documented are Silvaner, Riesling, Schwarzriesling and Gutedel. From Propstberg come, among others, Riesling Kabinett dry, Silvaner Spätlese in both dry and not dry versions, as well as Silvaner Auslese. The site is also documented as the origin for Silvaner ice wine.
Cultivation and Ice Wine Harvest
The vineyard area of Propstberg covers approximately 50 hectares. For a Markelsheim Silvaner Auslese, exclusively grapes from the Riedle parcel were used, whose vines were more than 60 years old. In a documented ice wine harvest in 2018, Silvaner grapes were picked at around −10 °C. From about 1,400 kilograms of grapes with an average of 155 degrees Oechsle, around 400 litres of concentrate were produced.
