Location and landscape
Schriesheim is situated at the transition between the Rhine Plain to the west and the Odenwald to the east, at the western end of the Schriesheim valley. The vineyards extend over steep slopes below the Strahlenburg and around the valley. At Madonnenberg, the Vohbach has carved a small valley into the granite.
Viticulture on the Bergstraße
Viticulture in Schriesheim has been documented for more than 1,000 years. The area belongs to the protected German wine-designation region Baden; the Badische Bergstraße is one of its named subregions. Local vineyard sites include, among others, the Kuhberg, the Schloßberg and the Staudenberg.
Historic vineyard site Madonnenberg
Madonnenberg has been documented since 1250. In 1832, Count von Oberndorff acquired the site, cleared it and laid out terraces. After the area was acquired by the state in 1988 and leased to the town, a club was founded in 1989 to preserve and continue the historic viticulture. The upkeep includes manual work as well as an annual harvest using hand pruners and buckets.
Grape varieties and vinification
In the wine-growing area, among others, Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Grauburgunder, Silvaner, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Spätburgunder, St. Laurent and Dornfelder are cultivated. Dry wines from Riesling, Silvaner and Spätburgunder are documented. A selected product line of the winemakers’ cooperative ripens for two years in French barriques.
