Oppenheim's limestone-marl Grosse Lage above the Rhine

Sackträger

The Sackträger sits on the edge of the Rhine rift at Oppenheim, in the Nierstein district of Rheinhessen, and carries Germany's top vineyard rating, VDP.GROSSE LAGE. It is registered as a single vineyard (Einzellage) within the Güldenmorgen collective site. What sets it apart from the celebrated red-slate slopes a short way north at Nierstein and Nackenheim is its foundation: this is a limestone and marl site, not a Rotliegend one.

The site

Sackträger forms a broad, sheltered bay opening to the east and southeast toward the river. The ridge of the Rhine valley and the buildings of Oppenheim, which stands above the vineyard, shield it from cold northeast winds, and the slope holds heat well; the grower Kühling-Gillot reports summer temperatures on the site frequently reaching 40 to 50 degrees. Gradients run from gentle to steep, generally around 25 to 30 percent, at elevations of roughly 90 to 150 meters. Published figures for the size vary, from about 20 hectares in reference listings to about 29 hectares in estate accounts of the current boundaries.

The soil is the defining feature. Aeolian loess laid down in the ice age covers hillside clay and deep, calcareous marl (Kalkmergel), with heavily weathered limestone in the subsoil. These warm quickly and push the vines toward concentration. Riesling leads the plantings, with Silvaner, Gewürztraminer and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) also grown in the warm, protected setting.

The name

The site was documented in the fifteenth century, recorded in 1475 as "hinder dem sacktreger thorne," behind the sack carrier's tower; some accounts date the first mention to 1541. The name comes from the guild of Sackträger, the sack carriers who hauled cargo up in sacks from the Rhine ships into the elevated town.

Growers and wines

Kühling-Gillot, the VDP estate at Bodenheim, is the leading name here, bottling a dry Riesling Grosses Gewächs from the site; the estate ties the wine's firm structure and grainy, mineral texture to the limestone-marl base, over ripe peach and lime fruit. Among independent growers, Weingut Manz, Eckehart und Johannes Gröhl and Weingut Carl Koch each bottle a single-vineyard Sackträger Riesling. Gröhl's dry 2020 drew 93 points from Falstaff, noted for firm stature and a chalky, mineral cast, while Carl Koch labels a dry Riesling from the site as "Erster Sack." The wines share the limestone signature: firm acidity, a chalky grip, and a savory mineral length rather than the exotic aromatics of the nearby slate sites.

This comprehensive guide is part of the WineSaint Wine Region Guide collection. Last updated: August 2026.