Schlossberg is an Alsace Grand Cru vineyard located on the slopes above Kaysersberg and Kientzheim in Alsace, north-eastern France. At 197 acres (80ha), it is the largest of the region's 51 Grand Cru sites and the oldest; it was the first Alsace vineyard to be granted Grand Cru status when classification began in 1975.
Schlossberg is amongst the best known of all Alsace vineyard names. It acquired its title from the castle (schloss in German) at its western edge, which it has stood guard over Kayserberg and the Weisbach Valley for 800 years. The vineyards are much older than the castle though; Roman colonists tended vines here more than 1500 years ago.
This site is one of a quartet of Grand Crus located on the northern slopes of the Weisbach Valley (Furstentum, Mambourg and Marckrain are the other three). They are significant because of the degree to which their south-facing slopes extend out onto the plains north of Colmar. The majority of Alsace's Grand Cru sites closely hug the lower slopes of the Vosges, away from the over-fertile soils of the plains. As a result, they are generally restricted either to the occasional south-east-facing slopes, or to the south-facing slopes on finger-like promontories. The unbroken south-facing slope which runs west–east for three miles (4.8km) from Kayserberg to Bennwihr is therefore something of an exception. Schlossberg is located at the western edge.
The slopes here rise steeply from 800 to 1400ft (245–425m), making them some of the steepest and highest in the region – surpassed only by the dramatic Rangen hillside. They have a south and south-easterly aspect, with the vines exposed to the ripening rays of the sun throughout the morning and into the afternoon. Schlossberg is divided between two non-contiguous sections, separated by a folded rift in the hillside but sharing the same soil type and aspect. The smaller, northern section is one-tenth the size of the main slope directly above the town of Kayserberg.
The Schlossberg hillside is composed largely of granite, with the upper layers in an advanced state of decomposition. As a result, the topsoils contain a high proportion of coarse granitic sand, rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus – minerals that are found in few other vineyards. The distinctive style of Schlossberg Riesling wine is attributed largely to this unusual soil composition.
The climate of the area is of continental type with particularly low rainfall – a result of the rain shadow cast by the Vosges. The mountains also provide protection from the prevailing westerly winds, making the Alsatian summer one of the driest and warmest in the northern half of France. At the other end of the temperature scale, the winters here are cold; it is not uncommon to see Alsace vineyards lined with snow.
Apart from a few notable exceptions, all Alsace Grand Cru wines are varietals and may be made from Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Muscat. Schlossberg has each of these varieties planted and is particularly well known for its Riesling.
Schlossberg is entirely separate from the smaller Wineck-Schlossberg, two miles (3km) to the south.
