Location and classification
The Stiftsberg is an officially registered single vineyard in the Ahr winegrowing region. Today it belongs to the municipality of Grafschaft and is assigned to the cadastral district of Ringen. The current official directory of vineyards lists 7.1 hectares of planted vineyard area.
Topography and soils
The site lies in a side valley of the Ahr and partly occupies a plateau above the former entrances to the government bunker. It is half steep and half sloping, at an altitude of about 150 to 240 metres. The documented aspect ranges from south-east to west. The soils consist mainly of weathered greywacke, and locally of loess and clay slate; also described are stony loams and locally stony, sandy loams.
Grape varieties and wine profile
At the Stiftsberg there are approximately two hectares of Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) and two hectares of Frühburgunder. Regent accounts for about one hectare, while Riesling and Weissburgunder each also account for about one hectare. The wines are described as fruity, full of character and powerful, and compared with the neighbouring Klostergarten site they have a slightly more acidity-driven style.
Historical references
Older regional descriptions refer to the site as Marienthaler Stiftsberg; historical wine-law records assign it to Marienthal. The name refers to a former church or monastery ownership. Parts of the Stiftsberg were used by the former state-owned winery Marienthal as experimental areas; after the transfer of the winery in 2004, a large part of these areas was replanted. Commercial evidence for wines under the name Marienthaler Stiftsberg has been documented at least since the 1930s.
