Location and Aspect
Sonnenberg is a legally registered single vineyard site within the municipality area and in the district of Schwabenheim an der Selz. It belongs to the Bingen area and to the Großlage Kaiserpfalz in Rheinhessen. The vineyards are oriented to the south; the name refers to this slope aspect.
Soils
Löss over Pararendzina and limestone over Rendzina are documented. The löss-Pararendzina soils are deep, calcareous and loamy, with a high level of water storage available to plants and good root penetration. The limestone-Rendzina is shallow to medium-depth, very calcareous, stony and sandy-loamy, with limited water storage and restricted root penetration.
Grape Varieties and Wine Style
For the stony, calcareous soils of Sonnenberg, Riesling and Silvaner are listed as suitable grape varieties. Wines from löss-Pararendzina plots are associated with a fruit-forward, light style, gentle acidity and an early drinkability character. Limestone-Rendzina produces mineral, chalky and more structured wines that can develop with bottle ageing.
Registers and History
The vineyard register lists for Sonnenberg a planted vineyard area of 78.8 hectares and the vineyard site code 710332. A historical name from the early 20th century, “Hügel gegen Elsheim”, is assigned to the present-day area of Sonnenberg. In the plots cultivated there, the grapes are harvested with a separate full harvester, allowing harvest dates to be selected for the individual grape varieties.
