Erdener Prälat

The Erdener Prälat vineyard was separated from the Erdener Treppchen at the end of the 19th century and renamed in honour of Prelate Professor Dr Franz Steffens (1853–1930), a native of Ürzig. Since then, the name has stood for one of the most renowned and impressive steep vineyard sites on the Moselle.

Situated opposite the village of Erden, the Erdener Prälat rises with a gradient of up to 65 degrees — approximately 210 per cent — making it one of the steepest vineyard sites in Germany. The vineyards extend at altitudes between 110 and 220 metres above sea level. The small, partly barren terraces are planted exclusively in traditional single-stake training and interspersed with exposed grey-red rock.

The soil consists of iron-rich red slate with clay components and profoundly shapes the character of the wines. The Moselle loop and the consistently southerly orientation create a particularly warm microclimate with high sun exposure and heat-retaining rocks. These conditions lend the wines from the Erdener Prälat their concentration, depth and extraordinary expressiveness.