What I Learned
Within Baden’s Ortenau wine district, there are several distinct wine areas. One of these is known as Rebland (literally, grape-land), located just south of the famous spa town of Baden-Baden, and north of Buhlertal. The steep hills offer a nice western and sometimes southerly exposure. These hills, which protect the grape-bearing slopes from too much wind, and the relatively mild and sunny climate, make this one of the best areas for growing grapes in Germany.
What I Learned
Vienna is the only European capital with vines grown within its city limits. While the Romans were here, definitive proof that vines were located inside the walls, in the current First District (the area around the Hofburg and the cathedral), dates only to the late Middle Ages.
Nowadays, there are three primary vineyard areas within the city, (and two other areas, by Sievering and Oberlaa). The Bisamberg, east of the Danube, centering around Stammersdorf and Strebersdorf. Wine growing in Stammersdorf, on the Bisamberg, began in the 12th century. The terroir here favors the Pinot family of grapes.
What I Learned
Wines from France’s southern Rhone Valley are quite popular. However, within that geographic area, and distinct from the Rhone appellation, there are distinct appellations singled out for their exceptional quality. Gigondas wines merit both their own appellation and the praise they evoke. Powerful and distinctive, they have a unique taste due in large part to the unique geology of the area.
What I Learned South of Baden-Baden, the grape vines come to dominate the landscape. Their effect on local culture and history has been equally as dominant. Viticulture dates to 1070 in Steinbach, and a couple of centuries later around Varnhalt, with the founding of two monasteries, one Cistercian, the other Franciscan, in what is now Baden-Baden. The church connections remained close even until the 19th Century. In the northern part of the Ortenau (around Neuweier, Steinbach, Umweg and Varnhalt), vintners often use the famous Bocksbeutel, the iconic, flask-like bottle of Franconia. It appeared here as a result of a locally-born priest becoming the Bishop of Wuerzburg. Once there, he sent the Franconian bottles to the Ortenau, where they have been in use since the 1820s. Over time, many parcels have become known for consistently good growths. In the Ortenau, the most esteemed vineyard sites are the Goldenes Loch, Mauerberg, the Schlossberg(s), the Altenberg and the Gansberg, mostly of red sandstone and shale soils. The Schartenberg has weathered granite soils. The Pfarrberg in Waldulm, part of the Schloss Rodeck of Kappelrodeck territory, is likewise esteemed for its grapes, albeit with mostly local fame. Many parcels have well-known names, associated with gifts or donations dating back hundreds of years. Often names typically reflect church donations, such as the Kirchherrenberg, the “church men’s hill”. More unusually, the hamlet of Umweg has the oldest named plot in the district, dating to 1474. A local noble gave some rows of vines to his cook, Hanns Stichdenbuben, and Stich den Buben is the name it still bears today. Some parcel names derive from old Alemannic or more modern dialect, and refer to alleged activities or legends with roots in pagan beliefs surviving through the centuries. The winery and the parcel “Alde Gott” in Sasbachwalden, refers to the prayer of thanksgiving to the “old god,” who granted a young man his heart’s desire. In Kappelrodeck, the Hex (witch) vom Dasenstein winery’s gets its name from the legend of a brokenhearted young woman. Rejected by both the young man she loved and her own family, she found refuge in a cave on the nearby hillside (Dasenstein), eventually becoming known as a witch, in part for her bewitching wine. Thus, the vintners with their vineyards and wineries proudly continue to stake out their traditions and connections to the land. What I Tasted 2015 Riesling, Schuetzenberg, VDP Erste Lage, Qualitaetswein, Trocken; Weingut Freiherr von u. zu Franckenstein (Offenburg): A dry white wine with light gold color; nose of green apple, with hints of turpentine; honey, spice and sweet apple flavors; medium acidity with a long finish. 2014 Grauer Burgunder, Waldulmer Pfarrberg, Trocken, Kabinett, Winzergenossenschaft Waldulm (Waldulm): A dry white wine with light gold color; a sharp, fruity and mineral nose, with fruity, spicy and mineral flavors; medium acidity and finish. 2014 Spaetburgunder, Blanc de Noir, Waldulmer Pfarrberg, Trocken, Kabinett, Winzergenossenschaft Waldulm (Waldulm): A dry red wine with very pale gold color; slight fruit and vanilla nose, with red berry fruit (including raspberry), vanilla and oak flavors; no tannins and very smooth, medium-long finish. 2014 Cuvee Pfarrberg, Waldulmer Pfarrberg, Trocken, Kabinett, Winzergenossenschaft Waldulm (Waldulm): A dry white wine blend (Scheurebe, Mueller-Thurgau, Riesling, and Weisser Burgunder), with a pale gold color; fruity nose, and white stone fruit flavor; very mild acidity. 2013 Gewuerztraminer, Kabinett, Alde Gott Winzer (Sasbachwalden): A semi-dry white wine with medium gold color; spicy, lychee fruit nose, with honey, lychee, ripe peach, mango and savory spice flavors; mild acidity, with a long, slightly tangy finish. 2012 Grauburgunder, Trocken, Kabinett, Hex vom Dasenstein (Kappelrodeck): A dry white wine, with a fruity nose, and with fruity and slightly floral flavors; medium mouthfeel. 2012 Klingelberger Riesling, Trocken, Spaetlese, Oberkircher Winzer (Oberkirch): A dry white wine with a fruity nose, and peach, grape, and sweet citrus flavors, with slight minerality; a medium mouthfeel with mild acidity and a smooth finish. 2012 Grauburgunder Sekt, Trocken, Von Loewenberg, Weinmanufaktur Gengenbach (Gengenbach): A dry sparkling white wine with fine bubbles; a slight white stone fruits nose and flavors; a light and refreshing finish. 2011 Spaetburgunder, Trocken, Spaetlese, Praedikatswein, Julius Renner (Oberkirch): A dry red wine with light-medium red color; a neutral nose, with cherry flavors; light to medium body, with medium-low tannins.
What I Learned
Within the Baden wine region, there are several distinct wine areas. One of these is the Ortenau, from the famous spa town of Baden-Baden south to Gengenbach. Between these two towns, on an undulating landscape, lies bucolic countryside, punctuated by picturesque wine villages. The rolling hills which protect the grape-bearing slopes from too much wind, and the relatively mild and sunny climate, make this one of the best areas for growing grapes in Germany.
What I Learned
The vineyards above the German village of Schweigen-Rechtenbach and the French town of Wissembourg have a viticulture history and a wine-making passion in common. Grapes have been cultivated for centuries. The vineyards in this area once all belonged to the Merovingian abbey in Wissembourg. Over time, these have become named, and a circuit trail passes through or by them. They are, from south to north: the Kammerberg, the Raedling, the Strohlenberg and the St. Paul, in France, and the Sonnenberg, in Germany.
Continue reading Wine Notes: Suedliche Weinstrasse and Bas Rhin
What I Learned:
In the South Tirol area as a whole, almost 45 percent of the territory is planted with red varietals. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir, and two special varietals: Lagrein, and Vernatsch. These two grape varietals have indigenous origins, and have been traditionally vinified in the South Tirol for centuries.
The wine region of Suedtirol Alto Adige has seven wine districts. The Oltradige district, the area around Kaltern and Eppan, is dominated by high hills on both the east and west sides of a valley, and contains a lake in the middle. This district produces one third of all wine from the region, with white wine production predominating slightly at 56 percent. However, the red varietals and wines from this district are unique, especially when from around the lake called both Kalterer See (in German), and Lago di Caldaro (in Italian).
What I Learned (Varietals)
The classic heart of Tuscany is Chianti, between Florence and Siena. And the classic heart of Chianti lies around the towns of Radda in Chianti, Castellina in Chianti, and Gaiole in Chianti. These small towns formed the original Lega di Chianti (an economic and defensive alliance). These towns have always been found in wine district of Chianti (be it the original designation in 1716, or the latest one in 1996). Nowadays the Black Rooster of Florence serves as a symbol of their Chianti Classico wines.
What I Learned
One of the Wuerttemberg’s many wine zones in the Unterland district, the Heuchelberg, is located west of Heilbronn. The area is known as the land of 1000 hills, perfect for planting vineyards!
The Heuchelberg is a long mountain ridge in this area. Heavily wooded on top, its south- and west- facing slopes are well situated to catch the rays of the sun. Viticulture is one of several agricultural endeavors practiced here. (Grains, corn, and fruit trees are some of the other local products of the land.) Little villages nestle in sheltered contours of the ridge, and some, like Neipperg and Haberschlacht, are known as wine villages. The main towns (and wine centers) around the Heuchelberg are Eppingen, Schwaigern and Brackenheim.
What I Learned
Set in central-western Switzerland, with the Alps rising to the east, and the Jura Mountains behind it to the west, this hilly region is surprisingly good when it comes to growing grapes. About 200 hectares of vineyards cover the slopes of the hills in and around Lake Biel. In this bilingual area the name is Lac du Bienne in French.
