Location and history
Vogtsburg in the Kaiserstuhl lies in the Baden winegrowing region and comprises the former winegrowing communities of Achkarren, Bickensohl, Bischoffingen, Burkheim, Oberbergen, Oberrotweil and Schelingen. The town was formed on 1 January 1975 through the merger of these seven previously independent municipalities.
Climate and landscape
The municipal area covers 3,736 hectares and includes around 1,388 hectares of vineyard land. The Kaiserstuhl is regarded as Germany’s warmest winegrowing region. Warm air enters the region through the Burgundian Gate; each year more than 2,700 hours of sunshine and about 600 to 700 millimetres of precipitation are recorded.
The Kaiserstuhl rises from the Upper Rhine Plain to about 556 metres. The Totenkopf, at 557 metres, is the highest elevation in the Vogtsburg area. The vineyards extend to roughly 400 metres above sea level and, with terraces, forested ridges and deeply cut loess hollow ways, they shape the landscape.
Soils and viticulture
The Kaiserstuhl is an extinct volcanic mountain range. Volcanic rocks, tuff and weathered soils meet loess deposits, which on the slopes are up to about 40 metres thick. In Vogtsburg, among other things, loess and clay on the Oberrotweiler Käsleberg, volcanic weathering with loess on the Bischoffingen Rosenkranz, and phonolite weathering on the Oberrotweiler Henkenberg are documented.
Vogtsburg is described by the town administration as the largest winegrowing municipality in Baden-Württemberg. Terrace building has been used for centuries in the Kaiserstuhl to reduce loess erosion. In the 1970s, many vineyard terraces were combined into larger terraces. The terraces around Oberbergen show distinctive loess profiles; the Schelingen Kirchberg is farmed in a nature-friendly way and is intensively tended.
Grape varieties and wine style
In the Kaiserstuhl, red and white Pinot varieties dominate. The grape varieties documented include Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Muskateller, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc and Silvaner. The wines are described as fruity, mineral white wines and full-bodied red wines, especially those made from Pinot varieties. Vogtsburg belongs to the protected Baden winegrowing region.
