Krähennest

Geisenheimer Krähennest – 14 Terraces Covering Almost 2,800 Square Meters

Geisenheimer Krähennest – from Students for Students

Geisenheimer Krähennest – ancient terraces and dry-stone walls

'Krähennest' Student Project: Organic Cultivation and Biodiversity of Riesling on Recultivated Old Terraces

Hands-on experience in the vineyard, old terraces and dry-stone walls, organic cultivation and a rich biodiversity – our ‘Krähennest’ project is a true student project as 100 % of the proceeds will go back into teaching.

Ancient terraces and dry-stone walls
14 terraces stretching out on nearly 2,800 square meters (2,744 m²to be exact) with 1,266 square meters reserved for enhancing biodiversity (not used for wine-growing)
Last remaining terraced vineyard in the core area of the “Rüdesheimer Berg” vineyard site
Recultivated in 2005 after lying fallow for almost 80 years
First terraces were planted in 2006
Real student project right from the start
Name is taken from the Middle High German word ‘Kronnest’

Yellow Orleans; credits: Prof. Dr. Joachim Schmid

Our goal was to ensure a high level of biodiversity, so we planted 20 different Riesling clones from various regions on seven different rootstocks to increase the vineyard’s resilience to extreme weather and boost biodiversity.

During the recultivation process, an old vine of the “Yellow Orleans” variety, planted in the Middle Ages, was found. The exact age of the vine is unknown.

The vineyard boasts a unique flora and fauna (e.g. orchids) and a very high number of different species.

From students for students

Our goal was/is to give students a better understanding of the terroir and to show them the benefits of steep slopes and terraced vineyards. We also wanted them to experience the role of manual work in a unique and diverse environment, and try to reflect this diversity in the wine. How to work with dry-stone walls is also demonstrated in this vineyard.

The vineyard is managed by students as part of their student project, which is then continued in the Department of Enology.

Images

Credits: Torsten Silz

Limited Magnum edition
Terroir: Taunus quartzite, mineral impact, great aging potential

Our Campus Winery

The campus winery, which dates back to the beginning of the former research institute, links the three departments of Grapevine Breeding, General and Organic Viticulture, and Enology, and enables us to translate basic and application-oriented research into practical solutions. The winery covers the entire value chain from grapevine breeding to grape production, and from winemaking to marketing. Improving and safeguarding the quality of wine is the cornerstone of our research activities. Since 1996, we have been a member of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) – the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates – that proves the high quality of our wines.

Our winery covers approximately 24.5 hectares of vineyards, including outstanding sites in the sub-districts of Geisenheim, Rüdesheim and – given our research focus on steep slope viticulture – the sub-district of Kaub. As the Rheingau area is mostly dominated by Riesling, our vine varieties might come as a surprise: although Riesling and Pinot Noir are still taking center stage, they have become increasingly flanked by other national and international vine varieties.

Other departments also benefit from the infrastructure of our winery. Grapes, must and wines that are not used for research and teaching are matured and sold to customers. Various trial wines from our new product line “Wissensdurst” (“Thirst for Knowledge”) are also on offer.