Tag Archives: Hochrhein

Germany, Switzerland, Wines

Wine Notes: High Rhine Wines

 

What I Learned:

In Germany, the Steinler in Nack, a hamlet south of Lottstetten, the Kapellenberg in Erzingen to the northwest of Nack, and the Oelberg outside Hohentengen to the southwest of Nack, are the vineyard areas in this remote pocket of the Baden-Wuerttemberg. With no grossanlage, the labels on local wine bottles simply designate the name of the wine region: Baden. The small Steinler vineyard is the only one in this Jestetten/Lottstetten area, and I could only catch glimpses of its south facing vineyards from time to time. Nevertheless, the local Weingut Clauss in Nack enthusiastically produces some very good wines.

Only two miles away, the Swiss vineyards in this area begin in the village of Ruedlingen, and continue up to the top of the hill to Buchberg. These vineyards visited fall within the Schaffhausen appellation. Buchberg is the southernmost village in the Schaffhausen canton, therefore it automatically has the southernmost vineyards in the appellation. While about one-eighth of the grape vines here are Mueller-Thurgau, known locally as Riesling x Sylvaner (yes, with the “y”), the vintners here grow the Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) varietal more than any other. In fact, the Schaffhausen appellation area is known as “Blauburgunderland” (Pinot Noir Country).

In Buchberg especially, the vineyards are ideally sited on steep, south-facing terrain, directly overlooking the Rhine River. However, true to my experiences in Switzerland, none of the wineries, and only one tavern (in Ruedlingen) was open on the day I was there!

 

What I Tasted:

2017 Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Belemnit, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Clauss (Nack, Germany): A dry white wine with medium gold color; fruity and spicy nose, with peach and vanilla flavors; medium plus acidity.

2017 Ruedlinger, Riesling x Sylvaner, AOC Schaffhausen, by Peter Matzinger, local grower, (Ruedlingen, Switzerland) with Gebrueder Kuemin Weinbau (winery) (Freienbach, Switzerland): A dry white wine with medium minus gold color; neutral nose with a hint of citrus, with vanilla and citrus flavors, with a hint of nuts; medium acidity, and a belatedly tart finish.

2017 Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), Nacker Rose, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Clauss (Nack): A dry rose wine with dark minus salmon color; slightly fruity nose, with sweet cherry and slight smoke flavors; medium tannins

2017 Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), Nacker, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Clauss (Nack): A dry red wine with dark minus ruby red color; sweet dark cherry wood nose and flavors, with a hint of tar; medium tannins, and a smooth finish.

 

 

Germany, Hiking, Nutshell, Switzerland

Rhein Reben Route: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Rhein Reben Route (Rhine Grapes Route)

Trail Type: Mid-distance trail; well-maintained and almost exclusively hard surfaces, no trail-specific marking for this trail, although there are the standard directional and distance (or time) markers.

Length:

Total –  13.5 kilometers/8.4 miles

Convenient to: Schaffhausen, or Zurich, Switzerland

Marking: No trail-specific signage. Directional signs only follow (See comments below)

Examples of German Directional Signs

 

Examples of Swiss Directional Signs and Trail Markings

 

Trail Description:

Following mostly along the Rhine River’s edge in a little-known corner of Germany and Switzerland, this very easy trail, with only two short but somewhat steep inclines, offers variety in the landscape, tranquil scenery, and often shady paths.

Trailheads:

Jestetten, Germany: Saarstr (x Bahnhof) (start)

Buchberg, Switzerland: Dorfstr (end)

Parking:

Jestetten, Germany: Bahnhofstr (by station)

Buchberg, Switzerland: by the church

Public Transportation Options:

Rail: S9, Schaffhausen-Jestetten-Uster, stops in Rafz, (about 4 kilometers distant, but the closest to Buchberg)

Bus: Zurcher Verkehrsverbund, (ZVV), runs a frequent and direct bus service to Rafz on ZVV Bus 675

Suggested Stages: Not applicable

Trail Itinerary-Reference Points: (North-South/Upriver-Downriver)

Jestetten, Germany: Saarstr, Altenburger Str, Im See; Cross the Volkenbach; through woods and fields; Lottstetten: Cross Weiherweg, Balmerstr, along river (and mostly through wooded terrain) for a while; Ruedlingen: past parking lot on river; cross Rafzerstr, past water treatment plant, Chratzeren, Hinterdorfstr, Sustenstr, Schuelwegli; vineyards, Buchberg, Switzerland: vineyards, Church, Dorfstr

Representative Trail Photos:

Sample of Trail Through Woods by the River
Sample Section of Incline (Buchberg)
Trail by the Roman Bridge

 

Restrooms:

Jestetten, Germany: Bahnhofstr x Saarstr, by the station

Ruedlingen, Switzerland: Chratzeren, at the water treatment facility

Attractions on or near Trail:

Tasting along the Trail: Café Rebe, Buchberg, Dorfstr 22; Besen-Beiz, Buchberg, Lindenhof (after 4 Apr 19)

Alternative Options:

Bike: Rhein-Route 2, Stage 7 (Schaffhausen to Bad Zurzach), a 53-kilometers (33 miles) bicycle itinerary covers this territory and more, following mostly along the Rhine River.

Additional Information:

Regional: https://schaffhauserland.ch/en/

Trail specific: https://www.outdooractive.com/de/wanderung/schwarzwald/rhein-reben-route-im-naturpark-schaffhausen/20734468/

Comments:

An option to cross the river by a small ferry is possible opposite Nack. (Look for the bell to ring to summon the ferry from the far side of the river.) There are not one, but two, water-side eateries there to slack the thirst and sate the hunger of hikers, bikers and boaters!

In Switzerland, instead of distance, the required time is usually indicated. (And in my experience, represents a healthy pace.)

 

Germany, Hiking

High Rhine Wine Time

 

Following hard on the heels of the longest circuit hike I have done to date, comes the shortest one. Both were in the German wine region of Baden, albeit one in the most southern district of the region, and the other in one of the northern-most districts. Both were fun to hike, although I must confess I found this trail more to my taste aesthetically.

Hills by Hohentengen

Continue reading High Rhine Wine Time →

Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Baden’s Hochrhein

 

What I Learned:

Hohentengen am Hochrhein, is in an area south of the Swiss Canton of Schaffhausen, and the Klettgau wine district, west of the Swiss town of Eglisau in the Canton of Zurich, and to its south is the Swiss town of Kaiserstuhl. But this wine-producing area is part of Germany’s Baden wine region, Bodensee district. Its micro-climate is similar: cool, but not frigid in winter, elevated, but not mountainous, and warm, even occasionally hot, in the summer. In short, it is good for vines. Like the area of Lake Constance in general, this area gets a fair amount of sun, considering its German/Swiss location. Vines have been here, off and on, for over a millennium. Currently, the Engelhof Winery has planted about 25 hectares to the west of Hohentengen, on the Oelberg slope, which has an excellent southern exposure.

Continue reading Wine Notes: Baden’s Hochrhein →