Neckarsulm

Neckarsulm lies at about 49°11′N, 9°13′E in the northern part of Baden-Württemberg, near the mouth of the Sulm into the Neckar. The town belongs to the German wine-growing region Württemberg. To the east of the town, the Scheuerberg rises, a distinctive local landmark.

The Scheuerberg is about 306 metres high and 350 metres long. It is considered a residual hill formed by erosion and the westernmost outcrop of the Löwenstein Hills. The south to south-east-facing slopes are climatically suitable for viticulture. Geologically, the mountain consists of Keuper marl; at a depth of around 150 metres, a layer of Letten coal begins, while the overlying cap of sandstone is absent.

Within the town’s territory there are around 96 hectares of vineyard area. Winegrowing is concentrated above all on the Scheuerberg, including steep vineyards below the former Scheuerburg. The VDP-classified site Scheuerberg Steinkreuz comprises 1.66 hectares with a south to south-west orientation, at heights of 200 to 260 metres, with a slope gradient of 45 to 55 per cent and gypsum Keuper soils; Lemberger is listed as the grape variety. The 1.07-hectare site Scheuerberg Orthgang is oriented to the west, lies at 250 to 300 metres above sea level, has a slope gradient of 40 to 45 per cent and likewise has gypsum Keuper soils; Pinot Noir is classified there.

Before 1212, the Lords of Weinsberg received Neckarsulm as a fief and built a castle on the Scheuerberg. After it was destroyed in the German Peasants’ War, the castle was not rebuilt; stones were later used, among other things, in vineyard walls. A reorganisation of the vineyards (Flurbereinigung) significantly altered the Scheuerberg between 1967 and 1996. Former vineyard areas are increasingly being abandoned, with the steep sites in particular relying on labour-intensive work by hand.