Location and landscape
Binzen is located in the Markgräflerland in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southern Upper Rhine region and in the district of Lörrach. The municipality stretches along the lower Kander valley from the Markgräfler Rhine plain into the hilly country. The town lies at the point where the valley opens out onto the Rhine plain.
Elevation and soils
The municipal area extends from about 262 metres on the Kander up to 383 metres in the northern loess hills of Bamlach-Schallbach; the municipality’s elevation is given as 272 metres. The vineyards are on the slope from the Rhine plain into the hilly country, while the western fall to the plain is planted with vines. The loess hills have pararendzina; in the Kander valley, gley soils occur. The terrace of the Rhine plain is used mainly for arable farming.
Winegrowing and Sonnhohle
Of the 581 hectares of municipal area, about 55 hectares are under vineyards. Sonnhohle is a communal single vineyard in the Markgräflerland area of the Baden winegrowing region, for which Binzen is among the approved municipalities. For the site, among other varieties, Gutedel, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Spätburgunder, Dornfelder, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are documented. As Binzen’s Sonnhohle wines, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder and Gutedel are recorded; dry Grauburgunder Kabinett and dry Spätburgunder are also documented.
History and wine production
Historical records show vineyards in Binzen at the latest for the year 1599. At that time, the abbess of Ottmarsheim is said to have collected tithes from certain vines. The earlier Binzen castle complex included large wine casks, wine tubs and other equipment for producing and storing wine. For parcels in Sonnhohle, documentation also exists for cultivation without herbicides and insecticides, with biotechnical pest control, as well as year-round cover cropping with legumes and flowering plants. Fermentation takes place in a historical vault cellar dating from the 16th century; in addition, dry wines are matured and bottle-fermented sparkling wines are produced.
