Location and Classification
Steig-Terrassen is a single vineyard site in the cadastral district of Guntersblum. It lies within the Großlage of Vögelsgärten in the Nierstein area in Rheinhessen. The official wine sites directory for 2024 lists it under wine site number 721105, with 62.7 hectares of vines planted.
Relief and Soils
The vineyards are characterised by terraced terrain and a steep slope; the vines are oriented towards the Rhine. The documented parcel Untere Steig forms, as a south-facing hillside, the steepest part of the site. Over limestone there is a loess layer. The soil classification is loess-pararendzina; it is described as calcareous, deep-rooting loam with clayey silt and good water retention for plants.
Development and Grape Varieties
In the 1990s, smaller vineyard parcels were merged and the farm tracks were renewed. As a result, Steig-Terrassen was created as a consolidation of several vineyards and older cadastral sites. In the parcel Untere Steig, Spätburgunder, Cabernet Franc and Syrah are grown; a documented wine from Steig-Terrassen is made from Syrah.
Wine Character
The site is described as hot and dry. Wines from Steig-Terrassen are regarded in the regional profile of sites as ripe and spicy. The documented Syrah presents as a powerful red wine with aromas of pepper, blackcurrant and herbal spice, and matured for up to 24 months in barrique casks.
