Location and wine-growing region
The vineyards of Tübingen are situated around the Neckar and Ammertal valleys. The Tübingen wine-growing area belongs to the Qualitätsweinbaugebiet Württemberg, in particular to the Oberer Neckar area. The municipal area is shaped by the Neckar valley, the Schönbuch, the Spitzberg-Österberg and the Rammert.
Climate and soils
Within Württemberg, Tübingen has a comparatively mild climate. However, the higher altitude and proximity to the Swabian Alb result in cooler and rougher conditions than in the lower Neckar valley, with fewer frost-free days and a lower average annual temperature. In the Neckar valley, air movement is guided by the course of the valley. The western vineyard slopes lie on mineral-rich marl.
Sonnenhalde location
The Sonnenhalde lies in the Neckar valley and is considered one of the warmest and steepest vineyard sites at the western end of the Neckar valley. Slope, exposure to sunlight and protection from frost favour viticulture there. The vineyards in the Tübingen area are mostly on steep slopes; for many plots, work by hand is required. For Tübingen, around one hectare of vineyard area is recorded.
History and wine styles
Viticulture in Tübingen has been documented for a long time. In 1624, there were eleven wineries in the town and four in Lustnau. Historically, the vineyards were terraced and fitted with retaining walls and stone-edged stairways. Schiller wine was an important local wine style and in 1867 it was the predominant wine. Documented grape varieties include, among others, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, Portugieser, Schwarzriesling and Spätburgunder. Since the registration of the vineyards of Tübingen, Hirschau and Unterjesingen in the Stuttgart wine-growing register in 1972, the wine from the defined areas has been led under the name Tübinger Sonnenhalden.
