The vineyard "Hochheimer Kirchenstück"
Steinkapelle
This limestone chapel was built on the boundary between the two vineyards Kirchenstück and Hofmeister. The sandstone relief above the altar depicts the Holy Trinity together with the crowning of Mary. The sandstone relief is dated 1729. The deep weathering of the rock indicates that the relief once stood outside as a field monument.
Hochheimer Hofmeister and Hochheimer Kirchenstück
The vineyard name Hofmeister, recalls a historical owner, the official aide of the archbishop (Germ.: Hofmeister) Damme (1363). The vineyard name Kirchenstück (church piece) indicates the proximity of this ground to the Catholic Church St. Peter and Paul. Already in 1271 this piece of land east of the church was known as the "Kirchanger". The cathedral chapter in Mainz owned a large part of this vineyard until 1803. The vineyard Kirchenstück has been classified as "Rheingau first class growth" ("Rheingauer Erstes Gewächs").
The landscape
Looking out over the surrounding landscape reveals that the terrain above the road evens out. The settlement of Hochheim is built on level ground. However, below the road the land slopes downwards towards the Main. The landscape was shaped by the erosive action of the river. During the cold periods (ice age) the Main flowed in a wide, shallow riverbed depositing gravel on its way. When the climate changed, and more water became available, the river cut its new channel deep into the gravel beds, creating a slope and a terrace. The church was built on edge of the Main river terrace.
... and its soils
The road marks the boundary between vineyards and between soil types. The sandy-gravel soil of the vineyard Hofmeister was formed on the ice age deposits of the Main river terrace. The subsoilo consists of gravel, covered by coarse, lime-free Main river sands. .
The residual loess soils of the vineyard Kirchenstück developed from ice-age wind-deposited dust (loess). Calcareous light-coloured clay marl was artificially added to the soil to even out the terrain, but also to improve the soil properties.