Hohen-Sülzen

KIRCHENSTÜCK | VDP.GROSSE LAGE

150 m elevation, lime/sandy loam, 6,71 classified hectars

The Kirchenstück in Hohen-Sülzen ranks among the premier vineyard sites of Rheinhessen. First documented in 1297 under the name “iuxta Kirchenstücke,” the vineyard originally referred to a parcel whose revenues were used to support a monastic kitchen.

The site stretches across a plateau above Hohen-Sülzen, just a short distance from the estate, nestled between two churches and overlooking the village where H.O. Spanier grew up. Some of his oldest vineyards are located here, including parcels planted as early as the 1960s.

The vines are deeply rooted in loamy, limestone-rich soils with limestone bedrock beneath. The gentle slope ensures constant air circulation and creates ideal conditions for a long growing season. From this heartland, cultivation gradually expanded into the finest sections of the vineyard. The powerful limestone soils, the sheltered basin of Hohen-Sülzen, and vines averaging around 35 years of age today produce wines of remarkable calm, depth and sense of place. Few sites reflect H.O. Spanier’s personal connection to his homeland as directly as Kirchenstück. It is therefore no coincidence that, alongside Riesling, exceptional Pinot Noirs are also crafted from this vineyard.