Durbach

Durbach is a municipality in the Ortenau district of Baden-Württemberg and belongs to the Baden wine-growing region. The town is located in the Ortenau foreland between the Upper Rhine plain and the Black Forest; the Vosges are visible to the west. The Durbach valley runs from east to west and creates predominantly south-facing vineyard sites that are protected from north and east winds.

Winegrowing shapes the Durbach valley across around 460 hectares. Many vineyards are steep; the Klingelberg near Schloss Staufenberg rises to around 400 metres. The predominantly weathered granite soils absorb moisture, store heat and release it to the vines. Suitable amounts of rainfall, high levels of sunshine and heat-storing soils are cited as factors that favour winegrowing.

Winegrowing in Durbach has been documented since the 13th century. In 1782, Margrave Carl Friedrich of Baden had a pure Riesling vineyard laid out on the Klingelberg near Schloss Staufenberg. The local name Klingelberger denotes Riesling in the middle Ortenau and, according to municipal information, is also used as a synonym in Baden, where it is practically used mainly in the middle Ortenau.

The documented grape varieties include, among others, Spätburgunder, Klingelberger, Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder, Clevner, Scheurebe, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Weißburgunder, Muskateller and Cabernet Dorsa. Sauvignon Blanc is found in the sites Steinberg, Schloß Grohl and Plauelrain; it has been cultivated on the Steinberg since the 19th century. Muskateller is documented for Steinberg, Kochberg and Plauelrain, while Grauburgunder is associated with the warm soils of the Kochberg. Spätburgunder is produced as a red wine, rosé or Weißherbst; Clevner is offered as a dessert or aperitif wine. Late-harvested Grauburgunder can also be referred to as Ruländer.