Location and landscape
Denzlingen lies in the southern part of the Emmendingen district in Baden, near Freiburg. The landscape is connected with the Elz and the Glotter. The town is situated at about 234 metres above sea level; the municipal area ranges from 208 to 490 metres. Alongside other agricultural uses, vineyards shape the landscape.
Vineyard sites and soils
The individual site Eichberg is assigned to the Breisgau area and includes Denzlingen, Glottertal and Heuweiler. The Sonnhalde, which also belongs to the Breisgau area, extends over Buchholz, Denzlingen and Sexau. The Denzlingen Sonnhalde is documented as a hillside site with a south-westerly aspect; it includes the sub-sites Steinhalde and Hummelgarten. Bunter sandstone and calcareous marl are given as the soils.
History and cultivation
On the southern slopes of the Glotter valley, viticulture has been documented since the 15th century. In 1580, a wine tithe was levied before viticulture declined in the 17th century. From the 18th century onwards, it became profitable again and reached a peak around the middle of the 19th century. The steep vineyards of the Glotter valley extend to about 500 metres above sea level and show gradients of up to 70 degrees, which limits the possibilities for mechanical work.
Grape varieties and cellar work
In Denzlingen, among others, Spätburgunder, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Müller-Thurgau and Chardonnay are planted; in addition, Riesling, Auxerrois, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot are documented. A winery cultivates its vineyards in an environmentally conscious manner, harvests all the grapes by hand and designates 60 percent of its vineyard area as steep-slope viticulture. The wines are described as varietal-typical, fresh, clear and precise. Cellar work also includes spontaneous fermentation, with which the characteristics of the vintage are intended to be expressed.
