Ahr (wine region)

The Ahr is grown in the wine region Ahr according to § 3 para 1 No. 1 wine law, which takes its name from the eponymous river. It is Germany's largest single wine-growing region for red wine. On a total of 548 hectares of vineyards (2006) are grown 87.5 % red and 12.5 % white grape varieties. The proportion of dry wines in 2005 reached a share of 50.9 %, while the share of semi-dry wines stood at 30.9 %. The trend away from the sweet wine stops it.

The table wine of Ahr is marketed under § 1 Wine Regulation under the name Rhein- Mosel ( Rhine area ) and local wine in § 2 WeinVO as Ahrtaler country wine.

History

Even the Romans, who reached the area of the Ahr valley before the birth of Christ, are said to have grown there wine, but this is not proven. Documented securitized, the history of winemaking in the Ahr valley can be traced back to the second half of the 9th century. In the year 893 the Prüm called Urbar larger vineyards in eight Ahrsiedlungen. In this Güterverzeichnis the Prüm Abbey posted a series wine dutiable goods, including in Ahrweiler, Walporzheim, Dernau and Altenahr. Apart from the abbey of Prüm had in the community Ahrweiler eleven other monasteries and twelve stately homes around the year 1200 80 % of the vineyard area. In Dernau had 19 landlords, ten monasteries and nine worldly men about 80 % of the vineyards.

Ahrweiler and the county in 1246 to the Archbishopric of Cologne Are. The community had in the 15th century, their ruler, the elector of Cologne, provide 30 tun of wine annually. In a document from 1417 describes how all the wine barrels were sealed court of the municipality, to the bailiff of the Elector of Cologne came and the 30 it congenial cartload chose (or chose ); therefore comes the term Kurwein.

Red grape varieties were grown until after the Thirty Years War. The then Burgundy was processed as a white wine. He was pale pink and was sometimes called Ahrbleichert.

In 1794, French troops moved into the area and occupied it as the so-called left bank of the Rhine until 1813 / 1814. In the course of secularization, the possessions of the Church, the monasteries and the Domstifte were dissolved. Out of the whole French Empire cheaper and alcohol richer wines have now been placed on the German market. So it was not easy for the Ahrwinzer to sell their goods.

After the Congress of Vienna in the area of ​​Ahr was united with the Prussian Kingdom. Over the next 20 years, the wine underwent a small blossom because of the peaceful political situation and the customs protection system. The previously popular imports from France were due to the protective tariffs too expensive, and the domestic market was consequently supplied by Ahr in the range of red wine.

This changed in 1833 with the accession of Prussia with the German Zollverein. In addition to internal sales problems and the trade collapsed with the neighboring Belgium. Some crop failures weaken the economic power of the winemakers in addition. Particularly affected were the winemakers around the year 1860. Up to four cohorts were unsold in the basement. Inadequate care of the wines were also become unsaleable. The trade lay still practical, and many families emigrated to America because of their own reason, they could no longer support.

In an emergency, the winemakers resorted to self-help, and 18 wineries founded, the idea Raiffeisen following, in 1868 in Mayschoß one of the first wine cooperatives in the world. Just three years later you could set a Salesman. By 1898, a total of 20 wine cooperatives were established in the Ahr valley.

In 1913 went with red wine trains tens of thousands of bottles of red wine to the German protection troops in Africa.

A revival was the wine in the Ahr in the late 19th and early 20th century by the following organizations:

From the late 1960s a smoldering beneath the surface problem of German viticulture was the project of land consolidation fixed: The topography of the area allowed the wine exclusively by hand and threatened the economic viability of the wineries. Added to this was the incredibly finely structured plot confusion. In 1957 determined for the municipality in the district Dernau " In Hardt mountain" to 2.6 ha total of 162 plots with an average size of only 160 square meters.

The strong analysis also shows a short summary of the facility survey from the year 1958:

In 2011, around 80% of winemakers worked in the Ahr in supply or sideline and were mostly united in wine cooperatives. Only 65 farms produce wine as the main acquisition.

Geography and climate

The Ahr valley in the north of Rhineland -Palatinate along the Ahr between Altenahr and Heimersheim. To the north it borders on North Rhine -Westphalia. Because it extends mainly from west / southwest to east / northeast, receives mainly the left side of the river many hours of sunshine. The climatic conditions of the area are not really suitable for the cultivation of wine. There are therefore microclimatic aspects that allow the wine nevertheless:

The steep, rocky southern slopes heat up when exposed to sunlight and rapidly to release the stored heat gradually to the vines further, so that even at night temperatures are balanced guaranteed. The area is allocated within the EU -growing zone A.

The long-term annual average of 9.8 ° C can therefore be compared with the average values ​​of other German wine regions. That means winter from December to February is very mild at 2.4 ° C for our latitude. In spring, however, there is always acute danger of frost.

The precipitate knows in the months of January to March and reaches a minimum in the summer months of July and August a maximum. However, the summer rainfall usually fall within a few days in abundant downpour.

The mean duration of sunshine is certainly at the lower end of the scale of the required values ​​for viticulture. The comparison of the long-term average for the so-called summer of 2003 can be the year of dependence of the area significantly.

Zoning

Geologic and topographic two growing regions can be distinguished:

• Upper region between Altenahr and Marienthal ( part of Bad Neuenahr- Ahrweiler )
• Lower region between Walporzheim and Heimersheim ( districts of Bad Neuenahr- Ahrweiler )

Varieties

45 white and 22 red grape varieties are allowed in the Ahr region of cultivation.

In these areas, be 480 hectares, or about 86 % (as of 2008) of the total area used for the cultivation of red grape varieties. The remaining areas are used for cultivation of white varieties.

Of the varieties grown have only about 15 a market significance. The proportion of each of these varieties is given in the following table.

Source:

Approved red grape varieties

The move towards higher quality varieties deposed in 1972 in connection with a land consolidation. The Pinot Noir displaced thereby clearly the Blue Portuguese. New varieties such as thorn fields and Domina complete the offer. In recent years, the high-quality Pinot is grown strengthened. Can close the growing region not before the general success of the new varieties and Regent Acolon, although the acreage compared to other German regions very modest.

• Acolon
• Blauburger
• Cabernet Mitos
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Dakapo
• Deckrot
• Domina

• Dornfelder
• Dark fields
• Frühburgunder
• Hegel
• Helfensteiner
• Heroldrebe
• Lemberger

• Merlot
• Palas
• Portuguese
• Regent
• Rondo
• Rotberg
• Meunier

• Pinot Noir
• St. Laurent
• Tauberschwarz
• Trollinger
• Zweigelt

Approved white grape

The acreage of the white grape varieties is indeed since 1972 (at that time at least 211 hectares) in a constant downward trend, but their representatives are still an important part of the offer of the Ahr. Especially on the slate and basalt soils shows the Riesling its potential. The Müller- Thurgau holiday due to its current lower market value other varieties place. The Kerner is partially used in a blend with Riesling.

• Albalonga
• Arnsburger
• Auxerrois
• Bacchus
• Bronner
• Chardonnay
• Ehrenbreitsteiner
• Ehrenfelser
• Elfling
• Faberrebe
• Foundling
• Freisamer
• Previously Malingre
• Muscat
• Gewürztraminer

• Goldriesling
• Pinot Gris
• Gutedel
• Hibernal
• Hölder
• Huxelrebe
• St. John
• Jewel
• Chancellor
• Kerner
• Kernling
• Marie Steiner
• Merzling
• Morio - Muskat
• Müller- Thurgau ( Rivaner )

• Muscat Ottonel
• Nobling
• Optima
• Orion
• Ortega
• Osteiner
• Pearl
• Phoenix
• Principal
• Regner
• Reichensteiner
• Rieslaner
• Riesling
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Scheurebe

• Schönburger
• Septimer
• Siegerrebe
• Silcherstraße
• Silvaner
• Sirius
• Solaris
• Staufer
• White Burgundy
• Würzer

Documents

The region Ahr includes the only area Walporzheim / Ahr valley and the only major location mountain monastery. The Großlage mountain monastery consists of the following documents:

Ehlingen

• Heimersheimer Chapel Hill, 21.86 acres

Lohrsdorf

• Heimersheimer country crown, 22.51 acres

Heimersheim

• Country crown, 22.51 acres
• Castle Garden, 21.40 acres
• Chapel Hill, 21.86 acres

Heppingen

• Heimersheimer castle garden
• Heppinger Mountain, 3.20 acres

Neuenahr

• Sonnenberg, 46.62 acres
• Schieferlay, 23.50 acres
• Church spiers, 17.00 acres

Bachem

• Charles Head, 18.55 acres
• Sunshine, 29.16 acres
• Steinkaul, 48.20 acres

Ahrweiler

• Daubhaus, 34.80 acres
• Forstberg, 33.66 acres
• Rosenthal, 50.75 acres
• Silberberg, 28.66 acres
• Bolt box, 18.90 acres
• Ursulinengarten, 24.02 acres

Walporzheim

• Himmelchen, 26.45 acres
• Kräuterberg, 5.15 acres
• Fermentation chamber, 0.68 acres
• Old Lay, 6.11 acres
• Pfaff Mountain, 27.00 acres
• Domlay, 29.92 acres

Marienthal

• Rosenberg, 15.21 acres
• Jesuits Garden, 11.56 acres
• Despite Mountain, 7.97 acres
• Monastery garden, 9.6 acres
• Stiftsberg, 12.22 acres

Dernau

• Hardt Mountain, 30.00 acres
• Pfarrwingert, 10.00 acres
• Schieferlay, 21.00 acres
• Castle Garden, 24.00 acres
• Goldkaul, 50.00 acres

Computing

• Hardt Mountain, 28.30 acres
• Flower, 24.20 acres
• Herrenberg, 27.00 acres

Mayschoß

• Monk Mountain, 43.00 acres
• Castle Hill, 14.50 acres
• Laacherberg, 49.00 acres
• Schieferlay, 28.00 acres
• Silberberg, 22.00 acres
• Lochmühlerley, 10.50 acres

Altenahr

• Eck, 22 hectares
• Übigberg, 32 acres

Reimerzhoven

• Altenahrer corner

Kreuzberg

• Altenahrer Übigberg

Pützfeld

• Altenahrer Übigberg