The Kraichgau is a small corner in northern Baden. Quiet villages tuck into the steep folds of hills, following little valleys, generally along small creeks. It is spiritually far removed from the nearby big urban conglomerations, which you can occasionally see from the trail, in the distance. Pockets of vineyards lie among fields, and below tree lines, or on the sheltered sides of rolling ridges. The vineyards here are small, but well-tended. They are truly the agricultural manna of this area of Germany’s Baden wine region.
What I Learned
The Kraichgau district of the Baden wine region is relatively small, only about 1200 hectares overall. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” the Kraichgau is a slice of hilly territory located east of the Rhine, north of Karlsruhe and south of Heidelberg. This district is less well-known than many other Baden districts, and is characterized by small, farming (or now commuter) communities. The better-known Ortenau district of Baden begins south of the Kraichgau.
Grosslage Mannaberg, extending from Bruchsal through Ostringen to Wiesloch, has as growths: Kirchberg, Ulrichsberg, Schlossberg, Burgengraf and Heiligenstein.
Trail Name: Weinwanderweg Mannaberg
Trail Type: Long distance; well-maintained and almost exclusively paved or hard surface throughout, marking on the trail good in places, and missing altogether in others
Length:
Total – 21 kilometers/ 13 miles
Convenient to: Heidelberg, or Wiesloch, Germany
Marking: Blue grapes in a white circle on an orange background
Continue reading Weinwanderweg Mannaberg: Trail in a Nutshell
What I Learned
Baden and Wuerttemberg were two different principalities, at one point in history. But in 1952, they joined to become one state in the Federal Republic of Germany. However, the wine regions of Baden and Wuerttemberg remain distinct. (There is no such thing as a Baden-Wuerttemberg wine region.) But in the northwest corner of the state, east of Karlsruhe, in a precinct named the Kraichgau, these two wine regions meet to form a complex mosaic of wine districts and noted growths.
Trail Name: Besen Tour
Trail Type: Medium distance cycling circuit; well-maintained and much of it paved surface, fairly good marking along the trail.
Length: 36.5 kilometers/ 22.5 miles
Convenient to: Karlsruhe, Pforzheim, or Heilbronn, Germany
Marking: A white square metal plaque with a broom and the words “Besen Tour”
Anyone fortunate enough to be in Germany in late April, May or the first half of June, has undoubtedly experienced “Spargel Saison”: Asparagus Season. These are not your ordinary asparagus spears! They are round, and fat, and so fresh-looking as to be unreal. They are ethereally white, and they have a dainty crisp-tenderness that defies description. They can also be extremely expensive, with the first local spears starting at around $30 for a kilo (2.2 pounds). It is the white gold of the vegetable world (excepting hops shoots, which relate to beer so we won’t go there) – ranking up there with other costly edibles such as white truffles and saffron.
Come Asparagus Season, traditional dishes such as asparagus cream soup (many variations, but all delicious), and steamed asparagus spears with herbed crepes (or steamed potatoes) and hollandaise sauce, make their seasonal appearance on menus across the country, but especially in the Rhine Valley. Suggested wine pairings include Baden’s Gutedel, and Franconia’s Silvaner wines.
What I Learned
The Kraichgau district of the Baden wine region is a relatively small pocket of hill territory located east of the Rhine and south of Heidelberg. This district is less well-known than many other Baden districts, and is characterized by small farming communities. The better-known Ortenau district of Baden begins south of the Kraichgau.
Trail Name: Weisses Gold und Traubensaft
Trail Type: A medium-distance, themed bicycle circuit; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, but the route itself is not marked.
Length: Total: 49 kilometers/ 31 miles
Convenient to: Heidelberg, or Karlsruhe, Germany
Marking: None
Continue reading Weisses Gold und Traubensaft: Trail in a Nutshell
