Location and landscape
Gaienhofen lies on the Höri peninsula in Lake Constance and is part of the Baden region. The municipal area extends from Lake Zeller See in the north-east to the Rhine (Seerhein) in the south-east. It forms part of the eastern slope of the Schiener Berg and stretches from about 390 metres above the lake shore to 617.13 metres in the north-west.
Soils and climate
The landscape consists of gently sloping, terraced levels and a subdivided molasse hill country. Two alluvial fans extend from the foot of the Schiener Berg down to the Seerhein. The subsoil is shaped by mica sands and marl layers of the Upper Freshwater Molasse; in the north and east, deposits of Würm glacial ground moraine lie above these. The location on Lake Constance ensures an even wine climate with small temperature fluctuations, a long mild autumn and a comparatively long growing season free from frost.
Winegrowing
In Gaienhofen and in the nearby hamlet, among other varieties, Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder), Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Chardonnay and Müller-Thurgau are grown. The documented wines with the designation Gaienhofen include Spätburgunder, Spätburgunder Rosé and Grauburgunder. The grapes are picked by hand and pressed gently; red wines mature in wooden casks, while white wines are stored in stainless-steel tanks before bottling.
