Dalberg

Dalberg is an Ortsgemeinde in the district of Bad Kreuznach and is administered within the Verbandsgemeinde of Rüdesheim an der Nahe. The village lies on the southern edge of the Soonwald Nature Park in the Gräfenbachtal valley, about 15 kilometres from Bad Kreuznach. The Gräfenbach is part of the catchment area of the Nahe and is accompanied by vineyards from the Nahe growing region.

At the higher elevations of the Nahe and its side valleys, cooler air masses from the Soonwald, Hunsrück and the North Palatinate hill country influence the ripening of the grapes. This starts later and, for Riesling, supports the development of aromas as well as the retention of acidity. In the Dalberg locality area, the vineyard sites Ritterhölle, Schloßberg and Sonnenberg are recorded.

The Dalberg Ritterhölle faces south, lies at an elevation of 230 to 250 metres, and has a slope gradient of 45 per cent. The subsoil consists of green slate, described as Devonian meta-diabase or meta-diabase tuff from submarine volcanic lava flows. The soil is medium- to deep-rooted, strongly stony sandy loam with limited rooting depth, sufficient water retention and permeability, good aeration, an acidic reaction and medium heat retention.

For the Ritterhölle, Riesling is recorded. A documented dry Dalberg Ritterhölle Riesling is described as Nahe wine with a mineral character and lasting acidity. Separate site-based vinification was carried out in stainless steel tanks and large wooden casks. The Dalberg Castle, built around 1185, was the seat of the Chamberlains of Worms for several centuries, who were known as being from Dalberg.