Norheim is the oldest recorded wine village in the Nahe region of Germany, first mentioned in a sales document from Lorsch Abbey dated 766. It is known primarily for its intense, long-lived Riesling wines, and has two Grosse Lage vineyard sites – Kirschheck and Dellchen.

The village is just downstream from Niederhausen, and shares its borders with Traisen to the north, and Bad Münster to the east. This whole area is known for its volcanic rock soil known as Rotenfels.

The Kirschheck vineyard lies on the western outskirts of Norheim, and its name suggests that it was once a cherry grove (kirsch means 'cherry' in German). It is a south-facing site that benefits directly from its close proximity to the Nahe river, the thermal mass of which helps keep the vineyard warm in the cooler evenings. The old Riesling vines planted here produce very low yields, due in part to regulation but also to the sandstone and grey slate soils present in the vineyard.

The Dellchen vineyard is immediately west of Kirschheck. It lies on the edge of the river and has a south-westerly orientation that gives the vines access to the afternoon sun. Stone walls terrace the steep incline, and along with the nearby cliffs provide shelter for the vines. Rieslings from Dellchen are firm and concentrated and have good aging potential.

Norheim's name is thought to share an etymological root with Nahe – possibly "nava", a Celtic word for flowing water.