Location and Landscape
Waldkirch lies at the broad, fanning outlet of the Elz valley into the Freiburg Bay, around 16 kilometres north-east of Freiburg im Breisgau. The municipal area includes Buchholz, Kollnau, Siensbach and Suggental. From about 250 metres in the Elz valley, the terrain rises to around 1,242 metres at the Kandel; steep slopes and narrow valley gorges shape the landscape.
Buchholz and Sonnhalde
The vineyards of Buchholz are located at the foot of the Black Forest on sunny hillside and steep slope sites. From there, the view extends across the Upper Rhine Plain to the Kaiserstuhl and the Vosges. The Sonnhalde belongs to the documented vineyard sites of Buchholz. Its soils consist of stony gneiss weathering material with a shallow layer of topsoil.
Viticulture and Grape Varieties
Viticulture in Waldkirch-Buchholz has been documented as a local tradition since 1833. In 1975, Buchholz was incorporated into the town of Waldkirch. The area belongs to the German wine-growing region Baden. Among other varieties, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, Muskateller, Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown; for the Sonnhalde, Weißburgunder is also documented.
Climate and Maturing
The Elz valley serves as a corridor for the supply of cold and fresh air. For the hillside sites of the Sonnhalde, high levels of sunshine and distinct temperature differences between day and night are described. The wines from the gneiss steep slopes are characterised as mineral. A documented Sonnhalde Weißburgunder was matured dry as Spätlese, aged in wood and stored on the lees.
