Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau lies between the Black Forest and the Upper Rhine Plain in the wine-growing region Baden. In the urban area and its surroundings, the Baden wine-growing areas of Breisgau, Markgräflerland and Tuniberg meet. The municipal area extends from 196 metres above sea level in Waltershofen to 1,284 metres at the Schauinsland; the vineyards are located in the lowlands, on the foothills and on steep slopes.

For Freiburg, a mean annual temperature of 10.8 °C and around 974 millimetres of annual precipitation are given. During the growing season from April to October, there are around 1,380 to 1,400 hours of sunshine. Night-time downslope winds from the Black Forest, including the Höllentäler, cool the vineyards and help preserve acidity and develop fruit aromas. For the city’s climate, more hot days and increasing summer dryness are also observed.

The south-facing, steep Schloßberg lies at about 220 to 280 metres above sea level; individual terraces extend up to around 360 metres and have slopes of up to 60 per cent. The vines are planted in weathered gneiss from the crystalline basement of the Black Forest. Documented there are Riesling and Chardonnay as well as Spätburgunder. The Jesuitenschloß at the foot of Lorettoberg and Schönberg lies at 280 to 370 metres on 10 to 30 per cent sloping, north-westerly facing slopes. Spätburgunder and Grauburgunder are grown there; the soils consist of fertile loam and clay with sandy, brick-containing material as well as limestone components.

Winegrowing on the Tuniberg near Freiburg has been documented since 888. After the Schlossberg fortifications were dismantled in 1744, vineyards were laid out on the steep south and west slopes. At the Schloßberg there are cross-terraced vineyard plots with retaining walls and dry-stone walls, which also provide habitat for reptiles and butterflies. Soil cultivation there is carried out by hand, according to information from the state wine estate, and without driving machinery onto the plots.