Location and classification
Hölle, also known as Niersteiner Hölle, is a legally registered single vineyard in the Sammelbereich Spiegelberg. It is located in the Nierstein wine-growing region within the cadastral district of Nierstein in Rheinhessen. In the vineyard directory, it is listed under number 721007.
Topography and soils
The approximately 4.5 hectares of planted vineyard are at around 90 to 140 metres above sea level and face east. The slope gradient reaches up to 30 per cent; as a result, the vines receive sunlight already in the early morning. The topsoil consists of calcareous loess, or pararendzina, a deep, fertile, and moisture-retentive loam soil. In the subsoil, limestone and rendzina occur in places from tertiary marine deposits, including former calcareous reef material from algae.
Grape varieties and wine styles
The vineyard is documented with Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder, Spätburgunder and Cabernet Sauvignon. Hölle wines include dry White Burgundy, dry Chardonnay, and dry Pinot Noir, or Spätburgunder, as a quality wine. The White Burgundy is described as having ripe yellow fruit and nut aromas, mineral tension, and a long finish. The Pinot Noir shows mineral notes, dark berries, toasted aromas, creaminess, and structure.
Cultivation and vinification
For Hölle plots, careful work by hand in the vineyard, selective hand-harvesting with an individually coordinated harvest date, and gentle, reduced ripening are documented. For selected wines, spontaneous fermentation, unfiltered bottling and at least ten months of ageing are used. The Hölle White Burgundy was fermented spontaneously in large wooden casks and aged on the lees for 15 months; a Hölle Pinot Noir underwent spontaneous must fermentation and aged for 24 months in barrique.
