Hessische Bergstraße

The wine region of Hessian mountain road to § 3 para 1 No. 4 wine law in Hesse, situated on the western slopes of the Odenwald to the Upper Rhine Plain back, covers the wine fields Starkenburg region and the Odenwald wine island, the area Umstadt, for large -Umstadt. With about 440 hectares of land, it is one of the smallest wine regions.

Definition of the specified region

The vineyards in the cities and towns

• Alsbach
• Bensheim
• Heppenheim
• Seeheim- Jugenheim

• Zwingenberg
• Dietzenbach
• Wholesale Umstadt
• Roßdorf

Form the specified region for quality wine Hessian mountain road.

Location

The vineyard is located on the western slope and the northern foothills of the Odenwald. It extends from the north of Seeheim- Jugenheim and Alsbach with a few vineyards to the Hessian- Baden- Württemberg border south of Heppenheim. The largest growing areas are located between Zwingenberg and Heppenheim.

In the north are smaller and larger for large -Umstadt acreage, which are not geographically belong more than Odenwald wine island to the mountain road at Roßdorf and Dietz Bach. In the south, the wine field Badische mountain road of the wine region of Baden joins.

The famous mild climate of the mountain road, which is also called the Riviera of Germany, is particularly conducive to growing grapes. There are also the favorable soil for the vines. The terrain is very rugged and has many steep slopes. These sophisticated documents, also in an area compared to Germany relatively high cost of living, makes editing the vineyards tedious and costly.

History

As an independent wine-growing region, the Hessian Mountain Road has only existed since 1971. Previously, it belonged to the wine region of Baden mountain road. A new wine law made at that time restructuring measures in Baden necessary. Baden claimed that part of the mountain road that lies within its borders. This applies to the area south of Heppenheim. The northern part of the mountain road, just the Hessian Mountain Road, should be added to the Rheingau originally. Since this is neither geographically nor administratively sensible appeared, at that time the smallest wine region of Germany was born.

With the wine probably the Romans started about 2,000 years ago at the Strata montana (mountain road). Documented the wine is first mentioned in the 8th century in the Lorsch Codex (Codex Laureshamensis ).

Area and yield

The acreage is in 2008 about 439 ha ( = 4.4 km2). Thus, the Hessian Mountain Road is one of the smallest wine regions. The yield of wine must lay in the multi-year average of 84.1 hl / ha. This represents about 0.3 % of German wine production. The wine is mainly distributed via self-marketing to consumers in the growing area. The relatively small acreage is operated by a relatively large number of growers. About 600 Winzer eG are united in Heppenheim or in the Odenwald wine cooperative in Great Umstadt in Bergsträßer winemakers. There are many small vineyards with many after-work or hobby winemakers.

Layers and varieties

The wine-growing area is divided into two areas: Umstadt ( great location -free) and region Starkenburgring with the big three layers: Auerbach Rott, Bensheim Wolf stomach and Heppenheim Schlossberg and since 2005 a total of 23 individual layers.

The layers are broken down as follows:

• Seeheimer mouth blades ( great location free)
• Great location Auerbach Rott, with the individual layers Alsbacher Schoental, Zwingenberger Old Castle, Zwingenberger stone boulders, Auerbach Höllberg, Schönberger Herrenwingert, Auerbach Fürstenlager
• Great location Bensheim wolf 's stomach with the individual layers Bensheimer Kirchberg, Bensheim Kalkgasse, Bensheim String Ling, Bensheim Hemsberg, Bensheim Paul
• Great location Heppenheim Schlossberg with the individual layers Heppenheim cents Court (17 ha), Heppenheim Stemmler (105 ha), Heppenheim Steinkopf ( 35.9 ha), Heppenheim Heppenheim Maiberg and Eckweg ( 115.6 ha). Until 2005 there was the 19.6 -acre single vineyard Heppenheim Gulden inches, in the south of Heppenheim, located near the border. She was able Heppenheim Eckweg incorporated.

The Hessian Mountain Road is known for its outstanding Rieslings. With about 53 %, the Riesling also by far the most common grape variety on the mountain road dar. is followed with 10.1% Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Gris 8.3%. The white wines have a combined share of almost 88%. Red wines are indeed with the remaining 12 % clearly in the minority, but their share is growing steadily. Here especially the varieties Pinot Noir, Dornfelder and St. Laurent are grown.

Area Umstadt

In the area Umstadt are the big linerless individual layers Roßdorfer Rossberg, Umstädter Stachelberg, Umstädter Steingerück and Umstädter Herrenberg. Furthermore, the Holy Brensbach fir and Dietzenbacher Wingertsberg are defined, but not farmed.

Among others are grown Riesling (29% ) are from which in some years even Trockenbeerenauslese qualities won, Müller- Thurgau ( 15%), which achieved an unusually high quality of the loess soil, Silvaner (10%), Kerner ( 5%), and more like Scheurebe, White Burgundy, Chardonnay, Ehrenfelser, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris.

From different grape varieties readout and late-harvest qualities are cultivated frequently, in many years, even Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein.

For red wines, Pinot Noir and spine fields dominate, further cultivated Portuguese, Regent, Acolon, Femdom and other.

Heppenheim cents court

The vineyard Heppenheim cents dish is named after the former court facility at Heppenheim Landsberg. There was formerly the site of the Hessian Rebmuttergartens. 1927 this was built for the production of phylloxera- resistant rootstocks for the production of grafted. The vineyard area is about 17 hectares, of which Riesling and Pinot Gris ( Pinot Gris ) have about 70 % share. The rest is Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir. The situation is characterized by favorable climate southwest to west - slopes. The vines thrive on light and sandy loam soils partially. The wine is said to have a fruity, floral fine and sustained note.

Heppenheim Stemmler

1480 he was appointed as Stemmeler, previously mentioned as Stennühel ( cairn ). The vineyard area is about 105 ha, which form a sprawling south, south -west and west facing position around the hilltop of Huben hedge. Again, dominates the Riesling cultivation. In addition, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir find. The vines grow on granithaltigem partially underground with loess and clay soils. At the foot of the slope is also shifting sand. The location is known for hearty, strong and predominantly dry -developed wines.

Major producers

The Hessian State Wineries put on the mountain road the only VDP Weingut and managed a total of 32.6 ha only 7.5 % of the vineyard. The DLG recommended wineries there include the Bergsträßer Winzer eG, the Odenwald wine cooperative and as a private operating the winery Simon- Bürkle in Zwingenberg.

Wine Queens

The wine region of Hessian mountain road annually selects an area wine queen, the queen of wine Hessian Mountain Road. It represents the growing region and its wines at events as an advertising and popular figure.

Petra gardener was from 2001-2002 the 53rd German Wine Queen.

Events

In Bensheim ( for the first weekend in September ) and large -Umstadt ( the first weekend after September 15 ) once wine festivals take place in the year in Zwingenberg the wine market ( on Pentecost weekend on the historic market square in the heart of the old town). In Heppenheim Bergsträßer wine market is held ( he is held annually for 10 days, from the last weekend in June to the first weekend of July, there are up to 100,000 visitors).

On May 1 of each year, is organized by the young winemakers in Weinbauverband the Hessian Mountain Road the vineyard hike. It leads to about 21 km in length through the vineyards of Zwingenberg up to Heppenheim and can be hiked in either direction. The route mainly follows the " Bergsträßer Weinlagenweg " is consistently well signposted with white Roman inscription in green WLW. Also, access to any desired area along the main road 3 is possible (the path starts in Alsbach and leads through the vineyards above and partly by the cities Zwingenberg, Auerbach, Bensheim and Heppenheim and ends at the Hesse and Baden limit). Along the route there are permanently erected information boards that provide information about the vineyards and the wine growing region " Hessian Mountain Road". While the vineyard hike are traveling about eight power stations ( with the offer: cheese, sausage, pretzels and wine rolls) while located tasting booths of local wineries built, in the layers from north to south: " scree ", " Höllberg ", " Fürstenlager "," Kirchberg "," String Ling "," Paul "," stone head " and " Schlossberg ". Approximately 150 volunteers are in use. The proceeds will benefit the complete Weinbauverband Hessian Mountain Road for promotional purposes. Inquiries from other interested people to build their own stalls along the vineyard migration route are all rejected " to preserve the character of the vineyard walk ." The vineyard hike has been held since 1988. The number of participants are in the range of about 5000 ( 1988), 30000-40000 (2009).