Focusing on Pinot Noir again, I headed for the hills west of the small Swiss town of Hallau, known as Blauburgunder-land. In Switzerland (and some places in Austria), Pinot Noir is known as Blauburgunder. Here, the hills are covered by these vines, facing the sun for most of the day.
That is when there is sun. Climatic influences and geography often combine to raise fog from the valley floor early in the morning. When I arrived, fog still blanketed the hillsides, severely reducing visibility. On the advice of a friendly tavern keeper in Hallau, I waited a couple of hours in order to hike in the sun. Fortunately, Hallau, the largest town in the area, has the tavern, a couple of wineries and the Vinothek to explore. (Unfortunately, the wine museum in Hallau has very limited hours, and closes completely from October to April (unless you reserve ahead of time).)
By early afternoon, the fog had disappeared and the sun was radiant in a brilliant blue sky, so I began to hike the Blauburgunderland Panoramaweg. It was good to have waited. The attraction here is the distant views of the bucolic hills and valley, seen almost constantly as the trail follows along the ridge top. It was also good to have waited until November to hike this trail: there was virtually no shade throughout the entire 12 kilometer length of this trail.
Essentially, this trail follows the curve of the ridgeline northeast to southwest, from the heights of Siblingen to the village of Trasadingen in the valley below, passing well above Hallau. On my left were views of forest-covered hills in Germany; on my right, vineyards, and then fields, stretched down into the valley. In the hills above the little communities, I passed several farmsteads, and livestock in pastures. This region has an agricultural tradition dating back centuries. In fact, this trail served as a high road from Siblingen to Trasadingen, connecting the farming settlements up on the ridge: Hintere Berghof, Vorder Berghof, Hallauer Berghof, and Berghaus. (Nowadays, some of the farms also offer refreshment.)
It was a route well-used by locals. Several couples were relaxing on the benches along the trail or at the picnic area on Rummelen. Several bicyclists rode past me. Nordic walkers and a couple of other hikers also went by. As I approached Trasadingen, riders on horseback trotted by. At this point, the Panoramaweg joins an educational wine trail, which leads from the vineyards into the heart of the village, where more Blauburgunder wine-buying opportunities await!
