Tag Archives: Wuerttemberg

Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Germany’s Wuerttembergisch Unterland – Part II

What I Learned:

About 20 miles north of Stuttgart, Germany, there is a distinctive grape growing area, lining the Neckar River as it flows north past the towns of Mundelsheim, Hessigheim and Besigheim. An unusual geological feature here is a fractured, limestone cliff with rock outcroppings that tower above the Neckar. Known as the Felsengarten, this site is favored by local rock climbers, as well as wine lovers who delight in visiting the vineyards surrounding the cliff, and the local wine cooperative, the Felsengartenkellerei, at the base of the cliff.

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Germany, Hiking, Nutshell

Burgunder- and Trollinger-Weg: Two Trails in a Nutshell

Trail Names: Burgunderweg and Trollingerweg

Trail Type: Short distance hiking circuits laid out by the Felsengartenkellerei (FGK) winery; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, and mostly well marked.

Length:

Burgunderweg total: 5.5 km/3.5 miles

Trollingerweg total: 8.5 km/5.25 miles

Convenient to: Stuttgart, Wuerttemberg, Germany

Marking: Red colored lizard and trail name written on square signs with white background with the word “Felsengartenkellerei” written on the edge.

Trollingerweg Signage
Trollingerweg Signage

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Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Germany’s Wuerttembergisch Unterland – Part I

What I Learned:

About 20 miles north of Stuttgart, Germany, there is a distinctive grape growing area. An unusual geological feature here is a fractured, limestone cliff with rock outcroppings that towers above the Neckar River. Known as the Felsengarten, this site is favored by local rock climbers, as well as wine lovers who delight in visiting the vineyards surrounding the cliff, and the local wine cooperative at the base of the cliff.

Continue reading Wine Notes: Germany’s Wuerttembergisch Unterland – Part I →

Germany, Hiking

Riesling Wanderweg: Trail in a Nutshell

Trail Name: Felsengartenkellerei (FGK) Riesling Wanderweg (aka: Riesling Rundwanderweg)

Trail Type: mid-distance hiking circuit; paved in villages, and most vineyards, some hard-packed gravel, but also some dirt paths as well; trail itself is not particularly well maintained, but is marked in most places.

Length:

Longer route: circa 16 km/10 miles

Shorter route: 12.5 km/7.75 miles

Convenient to: Stuttgart, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Marking: Green-colored gecko and trail name on a white background with “Felsengartenkellerei” written beneath.

 

Riesling Wanderweg Signage
Riesling Wanderweg Signage

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Germany, Hiking

Wandering with Wine in Wuerttemberg

Of the many fabulous local wine events in Europe, especially in Alsace and southern Germany, the rambles through vineyards where vintners set up stations with food and wine are among the most popular. The routes, usually around 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) long, are marked out along existing hiking trails, access roads for agricultural vehicles, and streets through towns and villages. Whole families are out there, and with the great air of festivity, and plenty of stops to relax and replenish fluids, the route is easily done by all.

I recently had the good fortune to participate in an event which circled the town of Beilstein, in the Wuerttembergisch Unterland wine growing region, north of Stuttgart, Germany. The timing for this event was convenient, and the weather in central Germany was perfect that day: sunny and seventy.

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Germany, Hiking

The Stuttgart Wine Trail in Spring!

In Stuttgart and seeking to escape city life for a few hours? Looking for somewhere close by, convenient to reach, yet with a real feel of countryside?  The Stuttgart Wine Trail (Stuttgarter Weinwanderweg, in German) provides a convenient countryside escape, with wine and food stops, along an easy trail for young and old, residents and visitors alike. Best of all, it is easily accessible via the Stuttgart metro system, being only a few stops from the city’s center!

 

Stuttgart Countryside
Stuttgart Countryside

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Germany, Wines

Wine Notes: Wuerttemberg’s Remstal-Stuttgart

What I Learned:

The Remstal district is in the Rems River valley, located a few kilometers northeast of Stuttgart’s city center. With slightly over 600 hectares, the grapes here grow in soil that is 90% keuper (consisting of marl and limestone). Trollinger is the predominant varietal followed by Riesling, Kerner (a Trollinger and Riesling cross), Schwarzriesling (Pinot Meunier), Lemberger, Mueller-Thurgau, Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), Dornfelder, Portugieser, and Silvaner, in that order. The information about this area was provided by the Remstalkellerei,  a wine cooperative (and wine shop) that makes and markets wines from this district in large amounts. (This is a popular winery whose products grace the shelves of many German supermarkets, especially in the Stuttgart area.)

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