Werderaner Wachtelberg
Encyclopedia
The Werderaner Wachtelberg is a 6.2 hectares (15.3 acre) vineyard
in the town of Werder (Havel)
in Brandenburg
. As the northernmost outpost of the Saale-Unstrut
wine region, it is the most northern registered location for QbA quality wine
in Germany
.
for "quail's mountain") is located on a 60 m high hill east of the River Havel
shaped in the last ice age
. The ridge is a remnant of a terminal moraine
, formed in the Weichselian glaciation of the last glacial period.
There is a temperate climate on the Werderaner Wachtelberg, affected by the Atlantic
climate from the north and west and a continental climate from the east. Weather extremes
are not commonplace. The temperature profile around Werder is similar to the national average for Germany. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are smaller than the usual continental climate, but higher than in the balanced maritime climate of coastal regions. Precipitation
is, with an annual sum of 519 mm, also relatively small. The area is surrounded by the Schwielowsee, Großer Zernsee and the Glindow-See, and due to its positioning between these vast lakes, a slightly higher than German-average temperature is often measured.
The peculiarity of the vineyard is that the vines grow in slightly argillaceous
sand soil. This sandy soil produces mild wines with low acidity. In 1991, the vineyard was affiliated as a single vineyard site ("großlagenfreie Einzellage") by the wine growing region of Saale-Unstrut
and thus recognized by the EU
. The Wachtelberg is now a classified
German vineyard and can be found under the registration 11.1.5.-017 in the vineyard register (Weinbergrolle). All Werderaner wines are pressed and vinificated at the Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Saxony-Anhalt
.
in the Margraviate of Brandenburg
was part of the German eastward expansion
, which was started in 1125 by King Lothair III
. As a result of this policy, Albert the Bear established his rule in Brandenburg some 25 years later. Historical studies have shown that a wine culture was introduced to Brandenburg from the West. This introduction is part of a west-east spread of viticulture in the Middle Ages
in connection with the extension of Frankish and German domination and the spread of Christianity in Europe
. During the whole period of the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church and its monasteries were sponsors of the wine culture in the margraviate. The church promoted wineries
because wine was used for Holy Communion
. In addition to the Franks
and the Flemish
settlers, it was the Cistercians who played a decisive role in viticulture around the Havel
at the time. This must be regarded as the origins for the vineyard in Werder.
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
in the town of Werder (Havel)
Werder (Havel)
Werder , is a town in the state of Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Havel river in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, west of the state's capital Potsdam.Werder has a long and rich history and is a nationally recognized Erholungsort – a government designation given to...
in Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. As the northernmost outpost of the Saale-Unstrut
Saale-Unstrut
Saale-Unstrut is a region for quality wine in Germany, and takes its name from the rivers Saale and Unstrut. The region is located on various hill slopes around these rivers...
wine region, it is the most northern registered location for QbA quality wine
German wine classification
German wine classification consists of several quality categories and is often the source of some confusion, especially among non-German speaking wine consumers. The official classification is set down in the wine law of 1971, although some changes and amendments have been made since then...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Location, climate and soil
The Wachtelberg (GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for "quail's mountain") is located on a 60 m high hill east of the River Havel
Havel
The Havel is a river in north-eastern Germany, flowing through the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe river and in length...
shaped in the last ice age
Quaternary glaciation
Quaternary glaciation, also known as the Pleistocene glaciation, the current ice age or simply the ice age, refers to the period of the last few million years in which permanent ice sheets were established in Antarctica and perhaps Greenland, and fluctuating ice sheets have occurred elsewhere...
. The ridge is a remnant of a terminal moraine
Terminal moraine
A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a moraine that forms at the end of the glacier called the snout.Terminal moraines mark the maximum advance of the glacier. An end moraine is at the present boundary of the glacier....
, formed in the Weichselian glaciation of the last glacial period.
There is a temperate climate on the Werderaner Wachtelberg, affected by the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
climate from the north and west and a continental climate from the east. Weather extremes
Extreme weather
Extreme weather includes weather phenomena that are at the extremes of the historical distribution, especially severe or unseasonal weather. The most commonly used definition of extreme weather is based on an event's climatological distribution. Extreme weather occurs only 5% or less of the time...
are not commonplace. The temperature profile around Werder is similar to the national average for Germany. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are smaller than the usual continental climate, but higher than in the balanced maritime climate of coastal regions. Precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
is, with an annual sum of 519 mm, also relatively small. The area is surrounded by the Schwielowsee, Großer Zernsee and the Glindow-See, and due to its positioning between these vast lakes, a slightly higher than German-average temperature is often measured.
The peculiarity of the vineyard is that the vines grow in slightly argillaceous
Argillite
An argillite is a fine-grained sedimentary rock composed predominantly of indurated clay particles. Argillaceous rocks are basically lithified muds and oozes. They contain variable amounts of silt-sized particles. The argillites grade into shale when the fissile layering typical of shale is...
sand soil. This sandy soil produces mild wines with low acidity. In 1991, the vineyard was affiliated as a single vineyard site ("großlagenfreie Einzellage") by the wine growing region of Saale-Unstrut
Saale-Unstrut
Saale-Unstrut is a region for quality wine in Germany, and takes its name from the rivers Saale and Unstrut. The region is located on various hill slopes around these rivers...
and thus recognized by the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. The Wachtelberg is now a classified
German wine classification
German wine classification consists of several quality categories and is often the source of some confusion, especially among non-German speaking wine consumers. The official classification is set down in the wine law of 1971, although some changes and amendments have been made since then...
German vineyard and can be found under the registration 11.1.5.-017 in the vineyard register (Weinbergrolle). All Werderaner wines are pressed and vinificated at the Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
.
Viticulture introduction to the Margraviate of Brandenburg
The introduction of viticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
in the Margraviate of Brandenburg
Margraviate of Brandenburg
The Margraviate of Brandenburg was a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire from 1157 to 1806. Also known as the March of Brandenburg , it played a pivotal role in the history of Germany and Central Europe....
was part of the German eastward expansion
Ostsiedlung
Ostsiedlung , also called German eastward expansion, was the medieval eastward migration and settlement of Germans from modern day western and central Germany into less-populated regions and countries of eastern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The affected area roughly stretched from Slovenia...
, which was started in 1125 by King Lothair III
Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor
Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia...
. As a result of this policy, Albert the Bear established his rule in Brandenburg some 25 years later. Historical studies have shown that a wine culture was introduced to Brandenburg from the West. This introduction is part of a west-east spread of viticulture in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
in connection with the extension of Frankish and German domination and the spread of Christianity in Europe
Christianity in Europe
Christianity is the largest religion in Europe. Christianity has been practiced in Europe since the 1st century, and a number of the Pauline Epistles were odireted at Christians living in Macedonia, as well as Rome.- Early history :...
. During the whole period of the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church and its monasteries were sponsors of the wine culture in the margraviate. The church promoted wineries
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
because wine was used for Holy Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. In addition to the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
and the Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
settlers, it was the Cistercians who played a decisive role in viticulture around the Havel
Havel
The Havel is a river in north-eastern Germany, flowing through the German states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe river and in length...
at the time. This must be regarded as the origins for the vineyard in Werder.