Location and classification
Steinsberg is a single vineyard in Weiler, a district of Sinsheim in the Baden-Württemberg Kraichgau. The wine-growing site is part of the Großlage Stiftsberg in the winegrowing region Baden.
Topography and geology
The vineyard areas extend along the steep slopes of Steinsberg from the north-west to the east side. The hill reaches an altitude of about 333 metres above sea level. Its erosion-resistant core was formed in a former volcanic vent and consists of basaltic or basanitic volcanic rock; the surrounding area is characterised by Keuper formations and sandstone layers.
Climate and cultivation
Steinsberg lies in the comparatively dry Kraichgau, where less rainfall falls than in the Ortenau and in the Markgräflerland. The Zipse winery has been cultivating vines at Weiler Steinsberg since 1956 and has about six hectares of its own vineyard area there.
Grape varieties and history
The documented grape varieties planted there include, among others, Spätburgunder, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Kerner, Deckrot, Johanniter, Müller-Thurgau and Riesling. In vineyards near Steinsberg, Schwarzriesling, Monarch and Solaris are also recorded. The wine landscape is associated with Steinsberg Castle and the historic settlement of Weiler, which together with the hill and the castle have served since the Middle Ages as regional points of orientation.
