Location and landscape
Östringen is located in the Baden-Württemberg district of Karlsruhe, on the west edge of the Kraichgau. The town comprises Östringen, Odenheim, Eichelberg and Tiefenbach. The municipal area extends from around 133 metres in the Langenbrückener Senke (depression) to more than 300 metres on the Wigoldesberg and Kapellenberg above Eichelberg. The landscape is shaped by gently rolling hills, woods, orchards with standard fruit trees, vineyards, hollow ways and terraced field structures.
Geology and winegrowing
Östringen lies at the transition between the Langenbrückener Senke, which is filled with Jurassic rock, and the Kraichgau, which is characterised by loess and Keuper. Ice-age loess forms a characteristic subsoil; its erosion led to the formation of the hollow ways around Odenheim and in other parts of the municipality. The mild climate makes winegrowing possible on steeper slopes.
The municipality belongs to the Baden winegrowing region and, within it, to the Kraichgau winegrowing area. Vineyards are found in all four town districts, with Eichelberg and Tiefenbach historically particularly closely linked with farming and winegrowing.
History and wines
Östringen is first mentioned in the Lorsch Codex in the year 768. After the local tourism history, Benedictine monks from the Wigoldesberg monastery established winegrowing permanently in the surrounding area from the 12th century onwards.
Documented wines from Östringen-Tiefenbach include dry Riesling from the Schellenbrunnen, as well as Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc from Baden sites. Dry wines from the Rosenkranzweg and Ulrichsberg are also documented. In addition to Burgunder varieties and Riesling, fungus-resistant varieties are grown; documented as well are organic cultivation, ageing in wooden casks, spontaneous fermentation and bottle fermentation with longer lees ageing.
