Location and classification
Rheinhöhe is a legally defined single vineyard site in Ingelheim am Rhein. It lies within the area of Bingen and within the Großlage Kaiserpfalz of the wine-growing region Rheinhessen. It is recorded in the cadastral areas of Nieder-Ingelheim and Ober-Ingelheim am Westerberg.
Topography and soils
The vineyard site extends over roughly 90 to 200 metres above sea level and has a north-easterly to easterly orientation. Documented are calcareous windblown sands from the Ice Ages as well as a calcareous rendzina on tertiary marine deposits and a calcareous algae reef.
The calcareous sand is deep, well-aerated and easy to root through, but stores only moderately available water. The rendzina is shallow to medium-deep, very stony and strongly calcareous; its rootability and water retention are limited. The soils have good to moderate heat-retaining capacity.
Grape varieties and wine style
In Rheinhöhe, Portugieser and Spätburgunder are documented. The site is associated more with red wines than with white wines. Wines from the calcareous sand are described as fruit-forward, deep-rooted, mild in acidity and having a dense structure. Wines from the calcareous rendzina are considered aromatic, mineral and chalky and can develop further with bottle age.
Area and history
The officially stated vineyard area is 54 hectares. In the vineyard site directory for 2024, under the same site number, 45.5 hectares are recorded in Ober-Ingelheim and less than 1 hectare in Nieder-Ingelheim. The name Rheinhöhe is presumably derived from “an der rinhelden”, which is attested in 1387 and is interpreted as a reference to a slope inclined towards the Rhine. When vineyard site names were combined in Ingelheim in 1913, Rheinhöhe was listed as one of four designations on the Westerberg.
