Location and aspect
The Rosenberg is a vineyard site in Neef on the Mosel. It borders the Frauenberg and extends into the Neefer Bachtal valley. As the largest vineyard site in Neef, it includes plots with different aspects, including south-west and westerly exposures. Parts of the site are steep; sections in the Neefer Bachtal are also oriented to the south.
Soils
The soils of the Rosenberg range from stony grey slate to heavier, clay-bearing variants. Devonian grey-brown sandstone with reddish inclusions has also been documented, as well as gravelly loam on the outskirts of the village and Rigosol-Regosol from greywacke-colluvium on the slopes. Devonian slate-colluvium occurs locally. In some areas, the soils are deeper and more humus-rich than in vineyard sites shaped purely by slate.
Grape varieties and wine style
Riesling, Spätburgunder, Kerner, Bacchus and Dornfelder are grown on the Rosenberg. Riesling and Spätburgunder are associated with the stony grey slate plots, while clay-bearing plots favour the cultivation of early-ripening varieties. For the Neefer Rosenberg, dry Spätburgunder, finely balanced wines and dry Riesling have been documented. Spätburgunder from the clay-rich Bachtal plots is described as full-bodied and riper, while wines from the upper grey slate plots are more slender, more mineral and more fruit-focused.
Origin of the name and maturation
The name Rosenberg is derived from dialectal and/or Old High German elements that refer to a projecting elevation. A documented Spätburgunder Réserve from the Rosenberg matured for 30 months in wooden casks.
