Besigheim

Besigheim lies at the confluence of the Neckar and the Enz in Baden-Württemberg. The historic town is situated on a rocky spur enclosed by rivers and is surrounded by terraced vineyards. The vineyard sites along the Neckar and the Enz include steep, south-facing terraced areas, including Felsengarten and Wurmberg.

The viticulture landscape is shaped by historic terraces with natural-stone walls and stairways. In the Felsengarten, Muschelkalk formations are exposed; in the steep slopes around Besigheim and in the Neckar valley, weathered soils from Muschelkalk have been documented. Sun exposure, exposed rock and the dry-stone walls promote heat storage. Terraced areas in the Felsengarten region can be up to 5 °C warmer than comparable sites without stone walls.

On the steep slopes of the Neckar and the Enz, wine has been cultivated for around a thousand years according to the town. The labour-intensive terraced viticulture includes selective hand-harvesting from terraces with yields reduced significantly. Dry-stone walls are regarded in the steep sites of Baden-Württemberg as legally protected biotopes and must be preserved. In the Felsengarten region, among others, Trollinger, Lemberger, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Chardonnay are documented. Besigheim belongs to the wine-growing region Württemberg, which is particularly associated with Trollinger and Lemberger.

Besigheim was first mentioned in documents in 1153. According to the town, most local winegrowers are members of the Felsengartenkellerei Besigheim. For wines from the region, the German wine regulations apply: The terms “Steillage” and “Steillagenwein” require grapes from parcels with at least 30 percent slope. “Terrassenlage” and “Terrassenlagenwein” refer to slopes that are correspondingly terraced or structurally interrupted in accordance with the applicable minimum requirements.