Viticulture in Harxheim
By Birgit Korte and Harald Schenk
Wine has been grown in Harxheim for more than 1000 years. However, structures and methods of wine production are subject to constant change. This is also reflected in a look at the development of viticulture in Harxheim.
The Romans probably brought wine to Rheinhessen and viticulture has existed in Harxheim since the village was founded. The donation of Harxheim vineyards to Lorsch Monastery is documented as early as the end of the 8th century. Records of the quality and quantity of Harxheim vintages date back to 1558. Records of the quality and quantity of Harxheim vintages date back to 1558.
Harxheim sites Schloßberg, Lieth and Börnchen
In the Harxheim district, wine is grown on 78 hectares. The vineyard area belongs to the wine-growing region of Rheinhessen, which is the largest wine-growing region in Germany with about 27,000 hectares. The Harxheim vineyards are sun-drenched, as they have a predominantly south-facing exposure.
Grape harvest at the winery Albert Happel 1927, in the background the railroad station Harxheim-Lörzweiler
Bildquelle: Dr. Günter Happel
Label winery Wilhelm Lambinet from 1923
Image source: Irmgard Kaiser-Vreke
After several land consolidation measures in the 1960s, 1980s and 1990s, there are now three sites: Schloßberg, Lieth and Börnchen. In 1967/68, a land consolidation was carried out in the area of today’s Lieth (with the following areas: Kuhhohl, Lieth, Hinter der Hecke). This was followed in 1988/89 by the Schloßberg 1st part (with the Gewannen: Neunmorgen, Kalmit, Kuckucksberg, Lochsteig, Lausloch, Floß) and 1992/93 the Schloßberg 2nd part (with the tracts: Auf der Schnurr, Osterberg) and the Börnchen (with the tracts: Ostersteig, Mahlsteig).
With 35 hectares, the Schloßberg is Harxheim’s largest single vineyard. It is located west of the L425 and has its southern boundary on the western extension of the Untergasse. The name Schloßberg was first mentioned in a document in 1637 with Auf dem Schloßberg. However, this does not mean that a castle once stood here. The name could rather be due to a reinterpretation of the word Schoß or Schuß and thus denote a steep slope. However, a lap can also be a piece of land that tapers to an acute angle. This corresponds to the shape of the parcel of the same name located in the castle hill.
South of the Schloßberg site is the Lieth, the second largest site with 30 hectares. It was mentioned in documents as early as 1377 with the name “zu lieden”. This name is probably derived from the Middle High German word lîte. It says that this is a slope. East of the L425 lies the smallest site, the Börnchen, with a size of 12 hectares.
The main soil type of the Harxheim vineyards is loess, which is characterized by a high water storage capacity and good rootability and produces fruity wines. Some of the Börnchen and Lieth sites also have marl soils, which have a higher lime content but a lower water storage capacity and rootability than loess. Here the vine has to work harder, the wines often have a more mineral note.
Structures and methods of wine production over time
As everywhere in Rheinhessen, the structures of the wine-producing businesses in Harxheim have also changed in recent decades. The traditionally mostly mixed farms with arable farming, livestock farming and viticulture are today often concentrated only on viticulture and have become wineries. And the wines are now made not only by winemakers, but also by female winemakers. Some wineries have built up an extensive gastronomic offer, sometimes paired with accommodation for out-of-town guests.
Use of the Unimog with vineyard plow 1960 (Lotz winery)
Image source: Christel Deiß
The number of wineries in Harxheim – as in the rest of Rheinhessen – has declined significantly over the past decades. Around 90 Harxheim winegrowers have been officially registered as producers over the decades. In the meantime, there are only eight wine-producing farms in Harxheim, six full-time winegrowers and two part-time winegrowers. The decline is due to the fact that until the 1970s there were a lot of self-suppliers in Harxheim, small farms with arable land and vineyards. Arable farming is now practiced by only one farm in the village.
The work in the vineyards has changed significantly in recent decades – favored by technical progress. Until the 70s of the last century, soil cultivation was still carried out partly with the use of a horse pulling a vineyard plow. This could be acquired directly in Harxheim from the then company Bücking-Weinbergspflüge (today Schlosserei Buchert).
Meanwhile, motorization and mechanization have long prevailed. The beginning in Harxheim was made by the Lotz winery, which no longer exists today, and which first used a Unimog type U 2010 in 1952 for work in the winery and in the steepest vineyards. The winch used with the Unimog replaced the horses and thus also reduced the manual labor required between the rows of vines. Then, in the mid-sixties, the first narrow-gauge tractors were used at the Lotz winery. In use here was a tractor from Fa. Seven from Zornheim. The Lotz winery was a pioneer for many Harxheim businesses, which also replaced their horses with single-axle and narrow-track tractors in the 1970s. Since the single-axle tractors were the closest to working with horses, they were used especially by the small farms. While the names of the 1 hp four-legged helpers were still Ajax, Lotte, Hector and Lady, people then spoke of the makes Holder, Gutbrod, Agria and Hako. The single-axle tugs were later replaced by the narrow-gauge tugs. The first narrow-gauge tractors in our town were Sieben, Holder AM2, Holder AM3, Krieger KS28 tractors.
End of harvest 1952 at Lotz winery with Unimog
Image source: Christel Deiß
Even complex work on the vine is easier to perform today. For example, cordless shears and cordless vine trimmers are now used for cutting and tying. Harvesting is often done with the grape harvester and is thus many times faster than a purely manual harvest. However, part of the romance associated with reading has also been lost, which Tanja Reßler captured in her contribution to the local chronicle 1250 Years of Harxheim.
Modern full harvester in use at the Schenk winery
Image source: Marion Schenk
Grape harvest with full harvester, Winery Reßler 1998
Image source: Siegfried Schäfer
In this context, it is also interesting to note that until the 80s of the last century, the vineyards were closed to everyone in the last weeks before the harvest, in order to let the vines mature in peace and to protect the harvest from theft. Wingert shooters made sure that the ban on access was followed. One such Wingertschütz was Michael Michel, known in the village as Michel Michel.
A significant change has taken place in tillage. Still in the 70s of the last century in the vineyard should grow only the vine. The soil was kept free of other vegetation so that the vine had no competition. However, this favored erosion and, with increasing motorization and the use of heavy equipment, soil compaction. Today, the areas between the rows of vines are often grass-covered or the winemaker sows plants that are mulched or tilled under in late spring, helping to improve the supply of nutrients in the soil. Environmental protection is increasingly being taken into account. Instead of herbicides for weed control, for example, the roller hoe, finger hoe or again the inter-axe implement is now often used, which raises and loosens the soil under the rows of vines, thus counteracting the growth of undesirable weeds.
Reduction of manual labor in the vineyard due to increasing mechanization
Image source: Harald Schenk
From the list you can see how the work in the vineyard has changed a lot in the last 60 years. The activities missing on the left side are nowadays replaced by machine work. These machines make the work of the winemaker quite easier.
Until the 1950s, by the way, sprays to combat leaf diseases and pests in the vineyards were mixed for all Harxheim winegrowers in theSpritze-Heisje. His story can be read here.
Riesling now number 1, but strong increase in other grape varieties
Change of grape varieties in the vineyard area from 2001 to 2021
Image source: Harald Schenk, data source: Rhineland-Palatinate Chamber of Agriculture (LWK RLP), EU vineyard register, as of 2022
The grape varieties planted in the vineyards have also changed significantly in recent decades, with the development in Harxheim aligning with the trend in Rheinhessen. The change is due, among other things, to other preferences of wine customers. Another influencing factor is climate change, which now allows the planting of vines that require a warmer climate to fully mature. A major trend in recent decades has been the increased cultivation of red grape varieties.
Their share, which is currently already slightly declining again, is currently slightly more than a quarter of the total vine population in Rheinhessen.
The Dornfelder, which along with Pinot Noir and Portugieser is one of the three most important red grape varieties, is a particular success story. In the meantime, however, its cultivation has declined again, while Pinot Noir continues to gain in importance.
In white grapes, the proportion of individual grape varieties has changed significantly. Until after the Second World War, Silvaner still dominated in Rheinhessen, followed by Müller-Thurgau. Later, the Riesling began its triumphal procession, it also currently has the highest proportion of white vines in Rheinhessen. The white Burgundy varieties have caught up strongly in the last two decades, and for some years now Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc have also become firmly established in our region. PIWIs, fungus-resistant vines, can now also be found in the Harxheim vineyards. These new varieties are more resistant to fungal diseases and therefore allow a significant reduction in the use of pesticides.
High quality awareness also in the wine cellar
Change has also taken hold in the cellar industry. Thus, the traditionally used half-piece and piece barrels with a capacity of around 600 l/1200 l were gradually replaced by plastic and concrete tanks from the 1950s onwards, and these in turn were replaced by stainless steel tanks from the turn of the millennium. In the meantime, however, the wood has returned, especially in the form of barrique barrels, and both red and white wines are aged in them. Today’s winemakers are very quality-oriented and attach great importance to gentle grape processing and winemaking, so that the flavor and ingredients of the grapes are preserved in the best possible way and are fully expressed in the wine. This includes gentle grape pressing and must clarification as well as a controlled and temperature-controlled fermentation process. While in earlier times spontaneous fermentation of the grapes using the natural yeasts on the grape was the standard, today pure cultured yeasts are mostly used in the fermentation process. Recently, however, more attention has been paid to spontaneous fermentation. Just as with wood, the past also comes back in part.
Glass-enameled steel tank purchased in 1955 at the Lotz winery (photo: 1960)
Image source: Christel Deiß
Wall ceramics in the gate hall of the historic Lotz winery
Image source: Irmgard Kaiser-Vreke
The structures of viticulture and wine production have changed over time. Even a look just a few generations back shows great differences between the viticulture of yesteryear and today. What has not changed, however, is the importance of viticulture as a formative component of our town, the surrounding landscape and the lives of the people who live here. The three wall ceramics, which still hang in the gate hall of the historic Lotz Winery, bear witness to this.
It is therefore no wonder that the largest local festival, the annual Harxheimer Weinhöfefest, is also dedicated to the Harxheimer grape juice.
References:
Reßler, Tanja (2017): Viticulture in Harxheim. In: Ortgemeinde Harxheim (Hrsg.): Festbuch 2017. Harxheim. Eintausendzweihundertfünfzig. Selzen. S. 108 – 110.
Rick, Josef (1967): Weinbaugemeinde Harxheim. In: Gemeinde Harxheim (Hrsg.): Festschrift. 1200 Jahre Weinbaugemeinde Harxheim.
Information about Harxheim vineyards: www.rheinhessen.de/weinlagen
Schenk, Harald
