Lorch Wine

Lorch is the north-westernmost wine-growing town in the Rheingau, Germany. It was first documented in 1085 when a house and vineyards were donated to the Mainz Cathedral, though the area has been settled since the first century.

Today Lorch is planted mainly to Riesling but also Gewürztraminer and Spätburgunder, which is growing in popularity both locally and abroad. The sites are south-west facing, which allows for good ripening conditions, assisted by the river Rhine, which regulates local temperatures. Weingut Graf von Kanitz is the principal producer in the area.

Lorch has five vineyards attached to its name, of which Pfaffenweis, Krone and Kapellenberg are classified by the VDP as Erste Lage. The broad regional appellation of Burgweg can be applied to a large vine-planted area stretching from parts of Geisenheim, through Rüdesheim and up the Rhine to Lorch.

The vineyards Pfaffenweis and Krone are located to the south of the township at around 190ft (58m) above sea level on the banks of the Rhine. They are composed of quartzite and slate with deep loess at the lower levels. The adjacent forest and mountains provide shelter from the cold northern wind.

Kapellenberg is a 3.5 acre (1.4ha) vineyard on the southern outskirts of the village. It too is naturally sheltered from the elements and benefits from the Rhine's custodianship.