Viticulture in Mainz
The viticulture in Mainz , the Rhineland-Palatinate state capital, going up to the Roman times back. From the Middle Ages to modern times at the latest, wine growing and trading have been an important national economic factor. Even today, a part of the Mainz population - albeit a small one - lives from viticulture and wine trade . With around 451 hectares, Mainz once had the largest vineyard area in a large city in Germany. Today (as of 2011) the area under vines is 209 hectares and thus comprises 2% of the city's area. Because of these facts, the city is also known as the wine city of Mainz , an image that is promoted and cultivated by the city itself, the local tourism industry and various associations and clubs.
Since May 2008, Mainz and the surrounding wine-growing region of Rheinhessen have been part of the international wine marketing group Great Wine Capitals , a wine network of renowned cities, each of which includes a characteristic wine-growing region per country. In addition to Mainz, this network includes cities and regions such as Bilbao: Rioja , Bordeaux: Bordeaux (wine-growing region) , Adelaide: South Australia (Australia) , Verona: [(Valpolicella)], Cape Town: Cape Winelands , Mendoza: Mendoza , Porto: Dourotal , Lausanne: Vaud and San Francisco: Napa Valley .
Historical summary
Vines can be found above all on the Rhine, but also on the outskirts of the city center down to the depths of Rheinhessen . The viticulture driving districts are in the south of the city, there are Ebersheim , Hechtsheim and Laubenheim ; 30 ares of vineyards are also cultivated in Bretzenheim .
Viticulture has been a tradition in Mainz since the Romans planted the first vines in Mogontiacum to supply their troops. In the Probus biography of the Historia Augusta it says in chapter 18.8:
- "Gallis omnibus et Hispanis ac Brittannis hinc permisit, ut vites haberent vinumque conficerent."
- "He allowed all Gauls, Spaniards and British to own vines and make wine."
Therefore, Probus (232–282) is considered to be the one who introduced viticulture there in numerous wine-growing regions north of the Alps. What is certain is that wine production in this region gained significantly in importance after the middle of the 3rd century . The archaeologist Hubertus Mikler from the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage provides evidence of early viticulture in the north of the Roman Empire.
The oldest known document about viticulture in Mainz reports on a donation:
“This royal Dominialhof in Dalheim and the goods belonging to it received the St. Maximin Abbey near Trier through a royal donation . Their possessions in Brezenheim are proven by the Fulders donations, in which it says for the year 754: "I give Adalbrecht another vineyard in front of the walls of the city of Mainz in the" village of Brezzenheim ", whose vineyards are on one side St. Maximin"
In the 7th - 9th centuries the trade route via Dorestad was the most important export route to the north.
The following correspondence is known from the French period:
“Le revêtement des fronts de Mombach est une bonne opération; mais ils sont tellement dominés par les coteaux et le fort Hauptstein ... "
- Reinforcing the fronts of Mombach is a good measure, but they are so dominated by the vineyards and Hauptstein Fort ...
In the historical-statistical yearbook of the Donnersberg department for the years 9 and 10 of the Franconian Republic, the area under vines in the canton of Mainz , which is naturally very small for a city canton, is given as 21.12 hectares.
Until well into the 19th century, viticulture, wine trade and the products of the sparkling wine cellars were among the main sources of income. A map from the 16th century shows the vineyards within the city walls: Jakobsberg, Michelsberg, Fürstenbergerhof and Kästrich . The last vineyards in the core city area were given up in the 1970s and converted into building land.
Institutions such as the German Wine Institute , numerous private wine producers, the “Die Mainzer Winzer” initiative, a winegrowers' cooperative, their own municipal winery and many wine bars are evidence of the great importance that wine still has in Mainz today. Mainly grape varieties are grown for white wines such as Silvaner, Riesling, Rivaner or Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, but also for red wines such as Merlot and Cabernet.
The variety of varieties can be tasted at the end of August at the Mainz wine market or in the Strauss taverns, where a little bouquet above the door indicates that winegrowers are offering their home-made wine along with culinary specialties.
Climate and geology
The climate in the knee of the Rhine is characterized by mostly warm, predominantly dry summers and winters with little precipitation. The Rhine Valley benefits from the milding influence of the river in the west wind zone and its location in the rain shadow of the Taunus , Hunsrück and Odenwald . There are ground and altitude winds from the west or from the west, the air masses of which are thermally moderate and relatively dry due to the shielding mountain ranges, some of which are over 800 m high, which means that the climate can almost be described as semi-arid .
Grape varieties
The Mainz grape variety list follows the Rhine-Hessian tradition and so white wines dominate in Mainz. In the past few decades, Riesling has regained ground.
Among the white grape varieties, the Silvaner, together with the Müller-Thurgau, is traditionally leading. In addition, Kerner , Scheurebe , Pinot Blanc and Huxelrebe are also cultivated. Chardonnay has also recently gained popularity as a fashion variety. Faberrebe , Juwel and Morio nutmeg are no longer replanted.
Of the red grape varieties, the Dornfelder alone accounted for 17 hectares, while the Blauer Portugieser claimed another 17 hectares . , The importance now of Pinot Noir . In addition, Regent , Dunkelfelder and Schwarzriesling should be mentioned.
Red wines made from international grape varieties are becoming increasingly important due to the urban footfall. Merlot , Acolon and Cabernet Sauvignon have been planted in recent years - in response to the growing demand for full-bodied red wines. The typically dry and sunny autumn weather and the consequences of global warming for viticulture allow these grape varieties, which come from far more southern wine-growing regions, to mature. Their long-term quality potential is difficult to assess in the long term, however, as these vineyards are still very young.
The city of Mainz's winery won the German Red Wine Prize in the “International Classic Varieties” category in 2007 with a 2003 Merlot and again in 2008 with a 2005 Syrah.
Vineyards
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The last vineyard in the city center was the Michelsberg, located at the Volkspark, which was transformed into a model vineyard as part of the German Viticulture Congress in Mainz in 1963. Today's Mainzer vineyards are all located in the area Nierstein of the wine-growing region of Rheinhessen . Viticulture is practiced in 4 out of 15 districts. The cultivation area is spread over several individual layers , which belong to the large areas of Sankt Alban and Domherr , but which today hardly appear on the label. Mainly direct train locations are cultivated, which allow a fall line cultivation with wheel-driven tractors . White varieties are grown on 160 hectares of vineyards , 49 hectares are planted with red varieties.
Mainz, city of German wine
Wine and science
At the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz there is an institute for microbiology and wine research, which researches the influences of terroir, spontaneous fermentation and malolactic fermentation. The university also examines the effects of so-called killer yeasts on the wine flora. Tailor-made starter cultures bring specific aromas and help reduce acidity in wine. The process for targeted isolation and specific detection of certain wine-relevant location-specific microorganisms has been patented. Isolation and subsequent inoculation with the winemaker's own starter cultures is offered as a service in order to support alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation in the wine and at the same time to develop the individual character of a wine and its aroma components.
In addition, the interdisciplinary working group “Vine and Wine” has emerged at Johannes Gutenberg University , which focuses primarily on the topics of health, ingredients, winemaking, grape genome and wine culture.
Wine and self-management
The house of the German wine was until moving to Bodenheim the Municipality of wine room. Since May 2012 the listed wine storage building in the former customs and inland port of Mainz has been the headquarters of the federal office of the Association of German Predicate and Quality Wineries .
Wine and politics
In the state capital Mainz, the Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Food, Viticulture and Forests RLP is responsible for two thirds of the German cultivation area , because six of the thirteen German wine-growing areas are in Rhineland-Palatinate and produce more than 65% of German wines: Ahr , Middle Rhine , Mosel-Saar-Ruwer , Nahe , Palatinate and Rheinhessen , which is close to Mainz.
Mainz Resolution
On September 19, 2007, 130 representatives from seven wine-growing EU member states met in Mainz to take a stand against a planned reform of the EU wine market. As the EU 's largest net contributor, Germany would be hardest hit by the presumed planned reforms. But other northern wine-growing countries also feel that their wine culture is significantly impaired if the expected measures are converted into applicable law. A five-page resolution was therefore passed at the “Mainz Wine Summit”, which is intended to prevent EU countries from being disadvantaged compared to third countries.
Among other things, this resolution is directed against the plans of the EU Commission,
- To forbid the addition of sucrose in wine production and instead only allow chaptalization with rectified grape must concentrate , i.e. sugar obtained from grapes. This measure would make it almost impossible to prove that the sugaring of predicate wines has been prohibited.
- to cut the previously permitted increase in potential alcohol content by 50%. This would mean that, for example, the red wine boom in Germany can no longer be satisfied with competitive own products.
- To finance clearings and not subject subsequent replanting to restrictive measures. “Deforestation must not be a core element of the reform,” says the resolution, as such measures are very expensive and do not improve the competitiveness of the remaining producers.
- to reform the designation law in such a way that the traditional German quality levels are de facto abolished. The designation system, which greatly differentiates the assessment of the quality of the wines in the glass, is to be abandoned.
According to an analysis by the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Viticulture, 5,000 companies with 10,000 jobs in Rhineland-Palatinate alone are threatened by the planned measures. The EU Commission's proposals are to be adopted in 2007 and will come into force in August 2008, the start of the new wine year .
Wine and pleasure
Weck, Worscht un Woi is the name of the hearty and simple "year-round national dish " of the Mainz people, whereby the Weck should preferably be a pair wake, the Worscht should preferably be meat sausage of the best quality and the Woi wine from Rheinhessen or the Rheingau.
Bottled wine has been approved for sale at the weekly market in front of Martinsdom since 2010 and the Mainz market breakfast has been in existence since April 1999 . This is where the Mainz winemakers serve their wine and the guest eats the victuals they have just bought.
Since 2006, the Taste Tival , also known as the “Mainz Gourmet Days”, has been held in Mainz once a year for four weeks . Vintners, hoteliers and restaurateurs come together to offer a wealth of culinary events.
Wine and Economics
Wine trade , wineries and wine forwarders ( example → JF Hillebrand ) have a long tradition in Mainz. In the Mainz customs and inland port there is a building designed exclusively for wine storage. There are considerable cellars under the large houses on Kästrich and Kaiserstraße. The champagne producer Kupferberg has seven floors, the tiefstgeschichteten winery plants worldwide. The Henkell Sektkellerei was founded in Mainz before moving across the Rhine for reasons of space.
Wine and culture
The Museum of the Sektkellerei Kupferberg has the world's largest collection of sparkling wine and champagne glasses and a large collection of advertising media from 150 years of history. At the Weinforum Rheinhessen, the Rheinhessenwein e. V. and the Chamber of Agriculture Rhineland-Palatinate, along with Roman exhibits, the best award-winning wines from Rheinhessen. At the same time, this platform is used for ideas from wine (selected special products based on viticulture from Rheinhessen).
The Ehrbare Mainzer Weinzunft of 1443 presents itself as a wine cultural association and undertakes to do its best to ensure that Rheinhessen wine is served as often as possible in the Mainzer Stange in Mainz gastronomy . Among the younger notables, another wine-cultural association was formed in autumn 2005 with the Mainz Wine Senate. In January 2008, the MAINZER WEIN GILDE was founded as the third association.
Wine queens
The Rheinhessische Weinkönigin 2003/2004, Eva Vollmer, comes from Mainz-Ebersheim . The election of the Rheinhessische Weinkönigin 2005/2006, Eva Pauser from Flonheim, took place in the old locomotive hall in Mainz. In November 2006, the young winemaker from Mainz, Mirjam Schneider, from the Lothar Schneider winery, was elected Rhine-Hessian wine princess. She is the only female member of the "Rheinhessen Five" winegrowing group, which is dedicated to the development of wines at the highest quality level.
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Rheinhessen, the election for the German Wine Queen 2016 took place in Mainz.
Winery of the city of Mainz
In 1906 the citizen Joseph Schick donated his winery in Harxheim to the Mayor of Mainz, Dr. Karl Göttelmann . Since then, the city of Mainz has owned this historic manorial building from 1725, including the associated vineyards. The winery has been leased to Michael & Hans W. Fleischer since 1994. The historic mansion, which was sold in 2018, now houses a restaurant.
Wine tasting cellar of the city of Mainz
There is also a contemporary wine cellar from the 1970s in the Mainz town hall .
Events
- Spring parade of the Association of German Predicate and Quality Wineries in Rheinhessen in the Electoral Palace in Mainz
- From March to November Mainz market breakfast every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with alternating serving of wine from the Mainz winemakers on Liebfrauenplatz in the reconstructed walls of the former Liebfrauenkirche
- In April and November Best of Mainz wine in the town hall
- From April to September, young winemakers from the Rheinhessen-Palatinate country youth show their wines every first Tuesday of the month as part of an after-work event on the bridgehead of the Theodor-Heuss-Brücke in a Mainz wine salon .
- Third weekend in May Ebersheim wine hike .
- From May to October every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Mainz winemakers' wine stand in the green area at the Templertor.
- Friday to Monday around June 24th, Mainz Midsummer Night
- On the first weekend in July, wine festival in the Kirchenstück in Hechtsheim
- Second weekend in July wine festival in the village in Ebersheim
- Mid-July Flower Festival in Laubenheimer Park
- Mainzer Weinmarkt on the last weekend in August and on the first weekend in September
- In autumn, the Rheinhessen Wine Forum in the Museum of Ancient Shipping
- The wine ball of the organizer TC Rot-Weiss Casino Mainz has been taking place since 1978 as a homage to the wine city of Mainz.
- After the awarding of the "German Red Wine Prize" moved to Heilbronn and Ettlingen for a few years, the event returned to Mainz in 2008.
- Since 2009, the series of events in wine sciences has been offered in the summer semester as part of the Studium generale at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz .
- The Mainz Wine Days took place for the first time in May 2012 on the banks of the Rhine between Theodor-Heuss-Brücke and Kaisertor.
Prominent vineyard of the Mainz Wine Senate
On April 28, 2007, a prominent vineyard of the Mainz Wine Senate was inaugurated by Cardinal Lehmann and Markus Schächter (ZDF director) in front of the citadel in the old town of Mainz . During a small celebration, the two plant the first Riesling vines on the hill near the Mainz Roman Theater station on the railway tunnel . Lehmann and Schächter were then honored by the Mainz Wine Senate with the title Consitor Senatus Vineti (planter of the Senate vineyard) as well as the one-time honorary title Consitor Primus Senatus Vineti .
literature
- Adam Michael Reitzel: Mainz, City of German Wine , Krach (1964)
- Helmut Mathy : Kurmainzer viticulture and wine trade policy from the 17th to the 19th century. in, Geschichtliche Landeskunde - Volume 40: Viticulture, Wine Trade and Wine Culture; Edited by Alois Gerlich . Stuttgart (1993)
- Helmut König & Heinz Decker: Vine and wine as a cultural asset. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2013, ISBN 978-3-8274-2886-8 .
- Michael Matheus : The wine city of Mainz, in: Hedwig Brüchert and Ute Engelen (eds.), Mainz and the wine. The story of a close relationship. Accompanying volume for the exhibition in the City History Museum Mainz from September 10, 2016 to August 27, 2017 (Series of the City History Museum Mainz 10), Mainz 2016, pp. 13-20.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Press release of the City of Mainz from May 19, 2008 ( Memento from February 7, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Gerald Kreucher: The Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus and his time . Steiner, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-515-08382-0 (Historia individual writings 174).
- ↑ Hubertus Mikler: Roman Riesling from Rheinhessen? - Evidence of early viticulture in the north of the Roman Empire. Mainzer Archäologische Zeitschrift 5/6, 1998/1999, pages 149–155.
- ^ Richard Hodges, David Whitehouse: Mohammed, Charlemagne and the Origins of Europe . Cornell University Press, 1983, ISBN 0-8014-9262-9 , p. 99.
- ^ Correspondence from Napoleon to Marshal Berthier ( Memento of August 21, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Friedrich Lehne : Historical-statistical yearbook of the Department of Donnersberge for the years 9 and 10 of the Franconian Republic , Mainz, Pfeiffer and Craß, 1801 and 1802
- ^ Butcher and winery of the city of Mainz: Current 2008 ( Memento from January 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ^ Institute for Microbiology and Wine Research at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- ↑ Helmut König & Heinz Decker: Cultural assets vine and wine. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2013, p. Xi.
- ^ German wine. Statistics 2013/2014 ( Memento from July 8, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 723 kB). Website of the German Wine Institute. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ↑ Mainz Resolution ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ The reform of the wine sector: Commission proposal ( Memento of 17 October 2007 at the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Mainzer Weingipfel ( Memento from May 23, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Experience Rheinhessen Part 1; Weck, Worscht un Woi, accessed on June 14, 2020
- ^ Events in Rheinhessen . Rhineland-Palatinate Tourism website. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ↑ Web presentation of the MAINZER WEIN GILDE
- ↑ Monika Nellessen and Michel Erfurth: Rheinhessen anniversary: Mainz chooses a wine queen in 2016 - campaign by the city and winemakers In: Mainzer Allgemeine Zeitung of May 13, 2014
- ↑ Best of Mainz wine
- ↑ Mainz Wine Salon
- ^ Lecture series Wine Science
See also
Web links
- The Mainz winemakers - joint website of the Mainz winemakers
- Great Wine Capitals - Website of the wine capital Mainz / Rheinhessen