Vineyard Kastanienbusch

The elevation Kleine Kalmit near Ilbesheim is unique not only because of its location and the accompanying unmistakable view of the Palatinate Forest, which was awarded as the most beautiful wine view in the Palatinate.

The terroir is also unique for viticulture in the Palatinate. When the Rhine rift settled millions of years ago, the Kleine Kalmit was formed from deposits of land snail limestone. Today, the soils of the vineyard of the same name are covered by this tertiary land snail limestone, marl, loess and loam, overlaid with a thin layer of humus. These soil characteristics, combined with optimal microclimatic conditions, make up the special terroir of the site.

This uniqueness initially went unnoticed. It was not until 2008, after years of persuasion by the Ilbesheim winegrowers, that the single vineyard Kalmit was created. A historic achievement, because since the comprehensive wine law change of 1971, the vineyard register was expanded for the first time by a geologically homogeneous single vineyard. The site grows mainly Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Every year at the end of July the Kalmitfest, the most beautiful wine festival of the Palatinate in 2004, takes place in the vineyard.