Location and natural region
Heilbronn covers 99.88 square kilometres and lies within three natural regions: the Heilbronn Basin, the Heilbronn Hills and the Neckar Basin. The municipal area extends from about 150 to 378 metres above sea level. The western vineyard slopes form an extensive belt of cultivated hills, while the eastern Heilbronn Hills are more heavily wooded.
Climate and geology
The average annual temperature is 9.9 °C, and average annual precipitation is 758 millimetres. The vineyard landscape around Heilbronn lies predominantly on gypsum keuper. The city centre is located in the Heilbronn Basin, where, during the Ice Ages, the Neckar deposited up to 35 metres-thick layers of gravel. In the eastern Heilbronn Hills, reed sandstone, Lower Coloured Marl (Untere Bunte Mergel) and siliceous sandstone occur.
Viticulture in Heilbronn
Heilbronn has about 500 hectares of vineyard area and belongs to the wine-growing region Württemberg, within which it is part of the Württembergisches Unterland area. The most important grape varieties include Trollinger, Schwarz Riesling, Lemberger, Riesling and Kerner. Württemberg is shaped mainly by red wine cultivation; Trollinger and Lemberger are among the defining varieties. Heilbronn is also located in the legally delineated geographic area of the protected designation of origin Württemberg.
Viticulture history and Wartberg
A deed of gift to the Lorsch Abbey dating from the year 766 provides evidence of viticulture in Heilbronn. The city therefore describes itself as the oldest wine-growing city in Württemberg. Historically, the steep gypsum keuper slopes were worked deeply and calcareous raw marl was applied in order to create mineral vineyard soils. The Wartberg has been integrated into the wine landscape and includes the Wine Panorama Trail, an educational trail about wine-growing and the culture of the vineyard.
