Location and classification
The Schloßberg lies below the city wall and at the foot of the castle of Neuleiningen. The south-easterly oriented hillside lies below the old castle. In the official list of wine-growing sites for 2024, the Schloßberg is listed as a single site within the Großlage of Höllenpfad in the area of Mittelhaardt/Deutsche Weinstraße.
Climate and soils
The site is described as the warmest wine-growing area in Neuleiningen. Low water retention and high heat retention promote high levels of ripeness, healthy grapes and concentrated harvested material with reduced yields. In the western part, Buntsandstein is present; in the eastern hillside area, gravel soils can be found. A documented plot shows calcareous terrace sand with limestone and Pleistocene terrace gravels.
Grape variety and cultivation
In the Neuleiningen Schloßberg, Riesling is planted; a documented Riesling plot was established in 2003. For the Riesling from the 2007 vintage, yield was reduced by thinning the bunches two weeks after flowering. The grapes were harvested by hand at a yield of 32 hl/ha.
Wine style and vintage 2007
The wines are described as clear, direct and elegant. Sand-influenced soils preserve the varietal character at full ripeness. The documented 2007 vintage Riesling Kabinett, dry, had 12.5% alcohol, 8.8 g/l residual sugar and 7.8 g/l total acidity. The hand-harvested grapes were pressed immediately without any maceration time; the fermentation with selected yeast strains was extended through cooling.
