Location and classification
Schwalbennest is an officially registered single vineyard in the Nahe wine-growing region, in the Nahetal area and in the Großlage Paradiesgarten. The wine-growing register lists it under wine-growing plot number 511331. The vineyard areas are distributed over Meisenheim with 3.5 hectares and Raumbach with 1.8 hectares of planted area.
Landscape and soil
The wine-growing area is located in the landscape of the Glan valley. A municipal nature education trail leads from Raumbach into the vineyard and runs along the slope above the Glan. The section documented in Raumbach shows a slope inclination of 40 to 60 percent, a south to south-west exposure, and elevation levels of 75 to 230 metres above sea level. Here, loamy slate and weathered sandstone soils shape the subsoil. In the lower slope areas there are humus-rich plots, while the upper areas are poorer and more stony.
Cultivation and grape varieties
Weingut Rohr cultivates 1.2 hectares in its own Raumbach Schwalbennest. Hotelweingut Barth re-cultivated old plots there, which had remained uncultivated for around 50 years in part. From the Raumbach Schwalbennest, Riesling and Weißburgunder are documented.
Wine styles
Dry Riesling, Riesling Spätlese and dry Weißburgunder are documented. Hotelweingut Barth uses, depending on the desired style, stainless-steel tanks or traditional wooden barrels, pursuing an approach with minimal intervention in the cellar. If the name of the single vineyard is used for a Qualitätswein or Prädikatswein, according to the German Wine Ordinance the name of the associated municipality or local district must be placed before or after the vineyard name; in addition, the relevant requirements for grape variety and minimum must weight also apply.
