Location and wine landscape
Esslingen am Neckar is located in the Neckar Valley in Baden-Württemberg and belongs to the wine-growing region Württemberg. The vineyards extend above the Neckar on steep slopes, for the most part facing south. Terraces near the historic town centre shape the landscape.
Terraces and cultivation
TeamWerk Esslingen cultivates around 78 hectares of vineyard land in a shared effort, including about 20 hectares of terraced steep slopes. The sunny slopes offer climatically favourable conditions for wine-growing. Traditional dry-stone walls made of sandstone absorb warmth during the day and release it at night. Preserving them makes the labour-intensive cultivation of the steep slopes a long-term task.
History and wine law
The first documented evidence of wine cultivation in Esslingen and the associated places dates from the year 1229. At the Neckarhalde, terraces were laid out from about 1220; in medieval Esslingen, wine developed into an important export commodity. In 1603, the area under vines accounted for roughly one third of the municipality’s land used for agriculture. For the affected vineyard plots, in 2026 the legally defined area designation was changed from Remstal – Stuttgart to Remstal.
Grape varieties and wines
Among the grape varieties listed for Esslingen are Trollinger, Lemberger, Riesling and Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder). The terraces also record Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Esslinger Burg is used for dry Riesling, Pinot Gris and Syrah wines; dry wines from Trollinger, Lemberger and Merlot also come from the steep slopes. For Riesling from Schenkenberg, clayey Keuper soils are documented.
