An eventful history

The vineyard Hochheimer Herrnberg (11.3 ha wine growing area) was first officially recorded in 1270. The name refers to the former owners, the canons of Cologne cathedral (Herr = master, Berg = hill)

An excellent terroir and an artificial landscape, may seem contradictory. However the Herrnberg is a good example of site-adapted recultivation, which resulted in an improvement of the terrain.

The site was once a limestone quarry and now it is a vineyard. You can still see the relics of the former use in the adjacent overgrown and craggy area. Presumably, limestone was already quarried here during the Roman Era. Limestone has been quarried on an industrial scale in the Wickerbach Valley since the 16^th century. The 18^th century  limestone kilns were completely restored in 1998 and are worth a visit.

Sand, limestone, loess

The naturally occurring soils of the Herrnberg have developed on a deep layer wind-blown sand. The soils on the former site of the quarry are man-made: whitish-yellow limestone in a matrix of yellow orange and clay-rich highly weathered rock material, covered by a light coloured sandy loess – a calcareous, very fertile substrate. The limestone cover protects the soil from erosion. The uppermost organic horizon improves the soil climate and supplies the vine with organic nutrients. The dark humus is well-aerated and is quick to warm in the sun. The limestone rocks stores heat and therefore benefits the microclimate in the vineyard.