Location and landscape
Sexau is a municipality in the district of Emmendingen in Baden-Württemberg between the Freiburg Bay and the Central Black Forest. The municipal area ranges from about 219 metres above sea level near the Elz to around 523 metres at Lausplatz. In the east, terraced slopes, hills and rounded peaks shape the landscape.
Climate and soils
Sexau lies between the warmer Upper Rhine plain and the Black Forest. The average annual temperature is around 10.1 °C, and annual rainfall is about 1,097 millimetres. The sunny, warm climate favours fruit growing and viticulture. Most of the municipality is located on paragneiss of the Central Black Forest; the eastern vineyard slopes are characterised by soil formed from this.
Vine growing on the Sonnhalde
The Sonnhalde is a south-facing hillside site, which also includes the sub-plot Reichenbächle. Extensive manual work, winter pruning, shoot selection, thinning, leaf work and, predominantly, hand-harvesting are documented for work in the vineyard. Only about three of the 17 hectares of vineyard area are flat enough for machine harvesting.
Grape varieties and wine style
On the Sexau Sonnhalde, dry white and red wines are documented, including Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Gris), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Blauer Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). A vintage from 2020 of Spätburgunder from old vines was produced dry, fermented classically on the skins in stainless steel and then stored in a large wooden cask for more than twelve months. The wine education trail Räbhisliwäg was opened in 2024; Sexau was first mentioned in 862 as the royal property Secchosouna.
