Location

The Mandelberg hill or almond-tree-hill is located directly north of Mittelwihr.
The steep slopes on the edge of the village were caused by the Sembach stream erosion which evacuated water coming from the Riquewihr dip. Towards the peak the slope decreases, forming a plateau heading north. It has mostly south exposure with some parts to the east upon the Alsace plain.

Soil

Soils are from the conglomerate Oligocene geological period which borders on the Rhineland fault. These are brown calcareous soils which contain a high level of pebbles and angular pebbles. Due to this they are perfectly suited to deep-digging vine roots. This phenomenon, along with the good soil water storage thanks to the clay, provides an ideal water supply during summer seasons.

Microclimate

The Mandelberg mesoclimate is very pleasant, influenced by a combination of several factors. The mostly south exposure and relatively low-hill altitude (between 205 and 256m), have a positive effect on the average temperature of the site.
Being about 2 to 3 km from the Vosges mountain range, the terroir also benefits from extended sunshine in the evening. Last but not least, the plateau stretching out to the north ideally protects it from cold winds.
The presence of almond trees is rather rare at this altitude and is proof of its highly-pleasant climate.

Heritage transmission

Comparable to numerous other Alsace Grand Crus, Mandelberg has been known since Roman Antiquity and was a lively and coveted terroir during the Middle Ages. But it was actually the only terroir which Charlemagne came through, leaving traces of his passage.

This site has been known since Antiquity with the vineyards happily growing alongside the almond trees, the latter giving its name to the hill.

One day, Charlemagne, who was heading towards Italy, made a stop around Mittelwihr to no doubt drink some of its wines. When the procession left, some strange shells lay on the ground. The inhabitants buried them underground to avoid any bad omens, and a little after the almond trees grew. So hence the legend of the Mandelberg almond-tree-hill where vines were already happily growing during Roman times.

La culture des fruits du Bassin méditerranéen marquait autrefois les limites des conquêtes des légions de Rome. The vineyards and almond trees were symbols of a new civilisation. On Mandelberg, these mythic plants are just as inseparable today as they were back in their homeland. They have become the emblem of Mittelwihr identity. A purely wine-making identity which is visible by the numerous family estates dedicated to vine-growing.

Au Moyen Âge, nobles et ecclésiastiques se disputaient, ici comme ailleurs, le meilleur du vignoble. During the Middle Ages, noblemen and ecclesiastics fought over the best vineyards. The numerous parcels making-up the Grand Cru and their distant appellations show the fervour sparked by this hill with Horbourg and Wurtemberg lords, masters of the locality, and various abbeys – Saint Dié, Ebersmunster, Murbach and Pairis.

Victor Canales
Synvira

The Mandelberg appellation already appeared on Alsace bottles in 1925 and became part of the Alsace Grand Cru appellations in 1992.