Popular single-vineyard name in Germany. The first part of the name is derived from the fertility of this animal and its frequent occurrence in vineyards. The second part comes from the Middle High German word "spring/sprung" and means spring, as such are often found in vineyards.
Bechtheim - Rheinhessen (Wonnegau)
The south-facing vineyards, with slopes of up to 60%, cover 130 hectares of vines in heavy clay soils with light sand deposits and exposed iron-ore-bearing rock. The "Löwenberg" section is considered privileged. Mainly Riesling is grown here, as well as smaller amounts of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Dornfelder. Shares in the vineyard are held, for example, by the Cistercian Michel Winery, Dackermann, Dreissigacker, Erbeldinger, Geil Helmut, Geil - Römerhof, Meiser Frank, Ökonomierat Johann Geil I. Erben, Weinreich and Winter Stefan.
The name derives from the fact that in former times the individual fields of this vineyard were only large enough for a hare to jump over. It is said that a wine from the famous 1811 inspired the poet prince Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) to write his famous work "West-Eastern Divan". Due to land consolidation in the 1970s, a good portion of land has been added that cannot keep up with the quality of the original core site.
The south to south-east facing vineyards at 95 to 140 metres above sea level with slopes of up to 30% cover around 100 hectares of vines. The soils consist of deep loess, loam and clay with a fine soil content, as well as partly shallow gravel and sea sand deposits. Riesling and Pinot Noir are the main varieties cultivated here. Shares are owned, for example, by the wineries Allendorf, Ankermühle, Dr. Corvers-Kauter, Eser August, F.B. Schönleber, Geheimrat J. Wegeler Erben, G.H. von Mumm, Hirschmann Christoph, Johannishof Eser, Prinz von Hessen, Querbach and Trenz Michael..
Further communities
There are also other single vineyard sites named Hasensprung in the municipalities or growing areas of Dorn-Dürkheim and Jugenheim (both in Rheinhessen), as well as Jöhlingen (Baden).
Winkel-Rheingau: © klickrhein, Frank Förster / Rheingau
