Location and landscape
Merzhausen is located in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district in Baden, directly south of Freiburg at the entrance to the Hexental. The municipality extends around the Schönberg at an elevation of around 254 to 538 metres and includes forested areas as well as areas shaped by vineyards.
Viticulture in Merzhausen
The municipality’s vineyards cover about 15 hectares. Towards the Schönberg, the vines grow on limestone, while on the side facing the Black Forest, weathered material from granite and gneiss predominates. Planted varieties include, among others, Müller-Thurgau, Gutedel, Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder and Riesling. The wines are predominantly dry as well as fresh and fruity; their acidity is about 4.5 to 7 grams per litre.
Jesuitenschloß
The Jesuitenschloß vineyard lies on the north side of the Schönberg and, as a single site shared across municipalities, is assigned to the communities of Freiburg and Merzhausen. The vineyard areas are at approximately 307 to 327 metres above sea level, are oriented to the northwest, and have slopes of roughly 10 to 20 degrees. The climate is characterised by a mean annual temperature of about 10 to 11 °C and annual rainfall of around 900 to 1050 millimetres.
Soil and history of viticulture
At Jesuitenschloß there are formations of the lower and middle Muschelkalk with limestone and clay marl rock. The documented vineyard soil is slightly clayey loam with a pH value of about 6.9 to 7.2. Viticulture in Merzhausen has been documented since 7 July 1297 by the Heiliggeistspital; the associated wine press was first mentioned in 1298. In 1985, the foundation-owned winery relocated its site to Jesuitenschloß, where wine processing and sales are also based today.
