Location and landscape
Heitersheim lies on the north-western edge of the Markgräfler Hill Country. The built-up area extends along the Sulzbach and includes parts of the southern Staufen bay and the Rhine lowlands. East of the B3 and south of the Sulzbach, loess-covered ridges shape the landscape, which is used intensively for wine-growing.
Soils and climate
In the west of the municipality lie Würm glacial period lower terrace gravel deposits of the Rhine lowlands. The vineyards stand on loess and loess loam over an Oligocene geological subsoil. For the Heitersheimer Maltesergarten, 750 to 850 millimetres of annual precipitation and an average annual temperature of 10 to 11 degrees Celsius are given. Around 80 per cent of the site has a gentle slope of 0 to 20 per cent and is predominantly oriented to the south and south-west.
Vineyard sites and grape varieties
The Maltesergarten is connected with Heitersheim as a single site. There, Gutedel, also known as Chasselas, is documented. The Heitersheimer Sonnhohle has deep loess soils that extend up to loamy clay, and is planted primarily with Spätburgunder and Weißburgunder. Documented wines include Gutedel from the Maltesergarten as well as Spätburgunder as red wine and rosé from the Sonnhohle.
Historical shaping
Roman settlement and cultivation are evidenced by remains of a villa urbana; archaeological material was found in the loess. In 1272, the Order of St John acquired the local Salhof. In 1428, Heitersheim became the seat of the German commandery of the Order of St John, whose revenues also included wine levies.
