Niersteiner Glöck
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49°52′14″N 8°20′19″E / 49.870671°N 8.3386916°E Niersteiner Glöck is a 2.1 hectares (5.2 acres) wall-enclosed vineyard (a Clos, using French terminology) in Nierstein in Rheinhessen, Germany.[1][2] According to a legend it is the oldest named vineyard site in Germany.[3]
Glöck is one of handful single vineyard sites in Germany which for reasons of historical significance have dispensation from having to include a village name together with the vineyard's name, so the wines from the Glöck vineyard site are simply labelled Glöck.
Since 1925, the vineyard belongs[4] exclusively to the Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Oppenheim (State Domain Oppenheim Winery), which is owned by the government of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and is part of the Dienstleistungszentrum Ländlicher Raum Rheinhessen-Nahe-Hunsrück (Service Centre Rural Zone Rheinhessen-Nahe-Hunsrück). The vineyard is currently planted with Riesling and Pinot noir vines.
The Niersteiner Glöck is classified as a "Großes Gewächs Rheinhessen" vineyard by the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP).[5]
Due to its small size the entire vineyard is homogeneous in quality. It is situated at height of 90 - 130 meter above the sea level.[6] The slope gradient of 20% and the microclimate resulting from the protection of a centuries old stone wall which completely surrounds the vineyard, allow for the production of high quality grapes. The resulting wines are characterised by a balance of fruit, floral, and mineral notes. Geologically, the vineyard is situated on the Rotliegend formation with a light sandy loess layer.[2]
