Location and viticulture
The wine-growing area of Baden-Baden focuses on the vineyards in the city districts of Neuweier, Steinbach and Varnhalt. It lies between the foothills of the Black Forest and the Upper Rhine Plain and forms part of the cultivation area Baden, a legally defined quality wine region. Baden is Germany’s only wine-growing area in the EU wine-growing zone B.
Terraces and microclimate
The vineyards include sunny vineyard terraces, hillsides and steep slopes. Older vineyards have dry-stone walls; steep and previously cultivated vineyard plots are maintained to prevent them from becoming overgrown. Local cold-air currents form between the Black Forest and the Rhine plain, with vineyards and open valleys acting as important areas where cold air forms. Neuweier lies in a basin between the Schartenberg and the Yburg.
Soils and grape varieties
The Mauerberg has soils made of weathered granite. The Klosterbergfelsen lies at an altitude of around 300 metres and contains arkose sandstone, mixed with slate, argillite, volcanic rock and local Rotliegend formations. In the vineyards, among other varieties, Riesling, Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder and Chardonnay are grown.
History and wine character
In Neuweier, in 1785 Riesling vines from the Nierstein and Laubenheim areas were introduced. Vine cultivation on the Klosterbergfelsen has been documented since 1268, when vines were planted near the Cistercian monastery of Lichtenthal. Riesling from the Mauerberg is described as mineral and elegant, while wines from the Klosterbergfelsen are associated with pronounced freshness and acidity.
