From green to scarlet
The geologically unique vineyards of Prinz Salm
7 November 2021
Werner Elflein
Image: Prinz SalmAs Germany's oldest family-owned winery, Prinz Salm looks back on a history dating back to the year 1200. Until the beginning of the 21st century, the winery concentrated on vineyards in and around Wallhausen. In 2008, Michael Prinz Salm-zu Salm took over the vineyards of the former winery Villa Sachsen in Bingen. This means that the current owner, Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm, not only has top vineyards on the Nahe, but also in neighbouring Rhinehessen. The green slate in Wallhausen and the scarlet red soil of the Bingen Scharlachberg are unique.
Green Slate and Rotliegend on the Nahe
The origins of viticulture in the Gräfenbach valley can be traced back to Celtic times. In the 13th century it was the Weierbach (later: Dalberg) family who, according to old records, cultivated vineyards in the village of Wallhausen first mentioned in 1195. In 1911 the last female Dalberg married Prince Franz zu Salm-Salm, the great-grandfather of the current owner.
Single vineyards first appear in old records in 1501. Among others, a Johannisberg, a Pastorenberg and a Kirschheck are also mentioned. Today's Johannisberg, a steep slope with a gradient of up to 60 percent, occupies the hillside below the Höllenpfad on the plateau and immediately catches the eye with its transverse terraces. As in the nearby Sommerloch Steinrossel and the Roxheim Berg, the soils here are characterised by Rotliegend, which gives the Rieslings a special mineral character. It is not randomly that Prinz Salms Riesling vom roten Schiefer speaks with a tongue lashing reminiscent of the Moselle and the Ürzig Würzgarten. The sweetness that hints at this against the background of a delicately vibrating acidity is often not in harmony with the analytical value in terms of taste. In fact, the wine in the 2020 vintage has less residual sugar than its counterpart, the more distinctive and focused Grünschiefer. A prime example that sensory perception and laboratory do not always coincide.
Image: Prinz SalmIn the Rieslings from green slate, we repeatedly find aromas that, sometimes more, sometimes less, remind us of green apple, carambola, gooseberry and rhubarb. Green slate, also known as chlorite slate, is formed by the inclusion of greenish-coloured mineral components. It is found in Germany exclusively in Wallhausen (Felseneck) and the neighbouring Dalberg (Ritterhölle). While the green slate in the Felseneck is still covered by a loamy layer, it comes to the surface in the Ritterhölle. Among the single-vineyard Rieslings we tasted, it is indeed also the 2018 from Ritterhölle that we rated highest. It seems that Ritterhölle is currently benefiting from climate change. The forest above the slope provides coolness and allows a late grape harvest. According to Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm, the wines always have brilliant acidity.
Quartzite in Rhinehessen
By taking over the vineyards of Villa Sachsen, Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm has top sites with the Bingen Kirchberg and especially the Scharlachberg, where quartzite and weathered slate soils dominate. The Scharlachberg owes its name to numerous iron oxide pigments visible on the surface. It was first mentioned in a document in 1248. The special esteem in which this unique location is held is expressed not least in a decree issued by the St. Stephansstift in Mainz before 1697, which forbade the owners of vineyards in the Scharlachberg by high penalty to sell property there to outsiders.
Image: Prinz SalmFelix Prinz zu Salm-Salm, who took over the winery from his father in 2017, wants to restore the faded reputation of the Scharlachberg. With the 2018 Großes Gewächs presented to us, he is well on his way. Creamy and complex at the same time, the wine flows over the tongue and leaves a lasting impression.
Climate change and ecology
When asked about climate change, Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm remains calm. He is convinced that the best sites will continue to produce great Rieslings. However, the changed conditions must be taken into account. Therefore, defoliation in the vineyards is done much more carefully to protect the grapes from too much sunlight. It is no longer in keeping with the times to aim for the latest possible harvest time. It is now more important not to miss the optimal harvest date. In the cellar, he is increasingly “playing with cuvées”.
The wines are deliberately given time. The single-vineyard Rieslings are fermented spontaneously and bottled only after a longer period of yeast storage, while the Große Gewächse are only sold after a few years of bottle ripeness.
Although the winery is one of the organic pioneers on the Nahe and converted to organic farming methods as early as 1988, Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm decided to forego certification according to the criteria of the Naturland association in the future. In the meantime, he has joined the Fair and Green association, which, in his opinion, follows a much more sustainable concept and, in contrast to the organic associations, takes a holistic view of the processes in the winery.
The wines at a glance
Prinz Salm
Schlossstraße 3
55595 Wallhausen
Germany
Phone: +49 6706 9444-11
Fax: +49 6706 9444-34
Internet: www.prinzsalm.de
E‑mail: weingut@prinzsalm.de
2020 Riesling vom roten Schiefer Qualitätswein
VDP.GUTSWEIN®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 7 21 • 12.5 % vol alcohol
2020 Riesling Grünschiefer Qualitätswein
VDP.GUTSWEIN®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 4 21 • 12 % vol alcohol
2020 Wallhausen Felseneck Riesling Kabinett
VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 10 21 • 8.5 % vol alcohol
2019 Bingen Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.AUS ERSTEN LAGEN®
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 17 20 • 12.5 % vol alcohol
2019 Bingen Kirchberg Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® / VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS®
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 22 20 • 12.5 % vol alcohol
2019 Roxheim Berg Riesling Spätlese
VDP.ERSTE LAGE®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 11 20 • 8 % vol alcohol
2018 Dalberg Ritterhölle Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.ERSTE LAGE® / VDP.ERSTES GEWÄCHS®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 1 20 • 13 % vol alcohol
2018 Sommerloch Steinrossel Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.ERSTE LAGE® / VDP.ERSTES GEWÄCHS®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 22 19 • 13 % vol alcohol
2018 Bingen Scharlachberg Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® / VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS®
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 17 19 • 12.5 % vol alcohol
2018 Wallhausen Felseneck Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® / VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 2 20 • 12.5 % vol alcohol
2018 Wallhausen Felseneck Riesling Spätlese
VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 7 19 • 8 % vol alcohol
2016 Wallhausen Johannisberg Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® / VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS®
Germany
Nahe • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 7779144 18 17 • 12.5 % vol alcohol
Symbols
| 🯅 | The rating of the wine is based on a single taster. The taster is named in the context of the rating. The tasting was either open or blind. In case of a blind tasting, it is explicitly labelled as such. |
| 🯅🯅 | The rating of the wine is based on two tasters. The tasters are named in the context of the rating. The tasting was carried out according to the four-eyes principle, in which both tasters agree on a joint rating. |
| 🯅🯅🯅 | The rating is based on a tasting by our jury and indicates the Mean value calculated by us from the individual ratings of the tasters. Our mean value is based on the median. |
| ⚖ | The wine was evaluated in a blind tasting. We have strict rules for blind tastings. The tasters do not receive any information that would allow them to identify the wines. The tasters are only given access to further information that goes beyond the subject matter if it is absolutely necessary for understanding the wines. |
| 🕓 | We only had limited time to taste the wine - typically during an open tasting event, such as a wine fair. It was therefore not possible to observe the development of the wine in the glass over a longer period of time. The informative value of our rating may therefore be limited under certain circumstances. |
| ⛬ | The wine was tasted as a barrel sample or before an official test number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer or Staatliche Prüfnummer) was issued. We only accept samples of unfilled wines in exceptional cases, and then only if we can assume sufficient stability in the bottle for a period of at least three months. |
| ▲ | During our tasting, the wine showed conspicuous sensory characteristics. This does not necessarily have to be a wine fault. We categorise the quality and quantity of the abnormality and include it in the rating. Wine faults such as cork taint or an atypical ageing generally lead to a complete rejection. |
| Tastings that refer to the same bottle of a wine are visually summarised by a dotted line. |