Location and landscape
Rottenburg am Neckar is located in the region Württemberg in the Neckar-Alb area of Baden-Württemberg. The Neckar runs through the town over around 14 kilometres from west to east. The municipal area includes the Upper Neckar valley with its broad floodplain, adjacent high plateaus and the Rammert hills; the elevation ranges approximately from 327 to 558 metres above sea level.
Vineyard sites on Kapellenberg
The Kapellenberg is a cone-shaped hill near the Wurmlinger Chapel and, via a saddle, it is connected to the Spitzberg ridge towards Tübingen. The vineyards lie on sunny slopes, including steep-slope parcels with historic dry-stone walls and stone steps. Muschelkalk and Gipskeuper layers shape the areas under vine: Muschelkalk soils are regarded as dry, stony and well drained, while Keuper soils contain more clay and can store heat as well as moisture.
Cultivation and wines
In the areas referred to as Kapellenberg, the local winegrowers’ association cultivates around six hectares collectively, of which about two hectares are in the town centre and more than four hectares in Wendelsheim. The small steep-slope plot areas often comprise five to ten Ar; machine cultivation is largely impractical there. Traditionally, among others Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, Riesling, Silvaner, Schwarzriesling, Spätburgunder, Lemberger and Portugieser are grown. Johanniter is also documented for a vineyard in Rottenburg, and Spätburgunder and Müller-Thurgau for a mixed planting in the Weggental.
For the Muschelkalk sites, wines are described with fine acidity and pronounced minerality, as well as notes of stone fruit and honey.
Historical significance
Winegrowing has been documented in the wider Tübingen district since the 12th century and reached its greatest historical significance between the 14th and early 17th centuries. Until the 17th century, Rottenburg was considered an important wine-growing centre; during the period of belonging to the Habsburg realm, wines were exported as far as Vienna. The Spitalkelter dated 1736 and wine cellars preserved in parts of the town are a reminder of this development. Kapellenberg is the collective single-vineyard name for the vineyards in the Rottenburg town centre as well as in Wendelsheim and Wurmlingen.
