Site and Climate
The Rosenberg is the single vineyard of Minheimer Rosenberg in Minheim on a south-facing river island along a bend in the Moselle. The vineyards are located in an exposed area of the Moselle bend and are subject to the cool conditions of the Moselle. During ripening, warm days alternate with cool nights; rainfall and sunshine are sufficient.
Soils and Viticulture
The soils of the Minheimer Rosenberg feature different substrates. A documented parcel has a very poor, gravel-rich soil; on the slopes around Minheim, Devonian slate predominates in various stages of weathering. In the vineyard are vines that are more than 40 years old and produce low yields.
Grape Varieties and Wine Styles
Documented are Riesling, Spätburgunder, Weissburgunder, Chardonnay, Kerner, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. From the Rosenberg come dry, gently off-dry and fruit-sweet Rieslings as well as dry Spätburgunder and dry Weissburgunder. The Rieslings show fresh acidity, fruit-driven profiles and mineral notes, which the producers associate with the slate soils.
Winemaking
A Riesling is fermented cool and develops over a longer period on the fine lees in stainless steel. For a fruit-sweet Riesling, gentle pressing and cool fermentation take place; subsequent cooling stops the fermentation and preserves the residual sweetness. Weissburgunder is hand-harvested, left on the skins for several hours, fermented with vineyard yeasts in stainless steel, and matured for at least nine months in 500-litre wooden barrels. Spätburgunder is fermented spontaneously in stainless steel, kept on the skins after fermentation and aged for 24 months in 500-litre tonneaux.
