Location and wine region
Weißenfels is located in Saxony-Anhalt on the Saale and is regarded as the gateway to the Saale-Unstrut cultural and wine region Saale-Unstrut. The protected designation of origin Saale-Unstrut also includes parts of the Weißenfels cadastral districts.
Climate and vineyard sites
The wine-growing area is shaped by a continental climate, with warm, dry summers and cold winters. On average, around 500 millimetres of precipitation fall each year in the region; in addition, there are around 1,600 hours of sunshine. Winter and late frosts are possible; sheltered sites, south-facing slopes and the warmer river valleys favour wine growing.
The Burgwerbener Herzogsberg is a steep single vineyard site with a slope incline of up to 45 per cent. The vineyard directory for 2024 lists 7.0401 hectares of planted vineyard area there in the cadastral districts of Burgwerben, Schkortleben and Weißenfels.
Grape varieties and wine styles
At the Burgwerbener Herzogsberg, among other varieties, Gutedel, Müller-Thurgau, Portugieser, Dornfelder, Blauer Zweigelt, Silvaner and Weißburgunder are grown. Dornfelder is produced there dry or as a semi-dry rosé, and Portugieser dry or as a semi-dry Weißherbst.
For the Saale-Unstrut region, delicate, fresh wines are described with clearly identifiable aromas. The soils of the growing area consist mainly of shell limestone (Muschelkalk) and red sandstone (Buntsandstein).
Wine-growing history
For the area around Weißenfels, wine growing is first documented in writing for the year 1218. Weißenfels is also already mentioned in 1196 as a wine town. Later, Cistercian monks from Pforta tended vine plantings along the Saale between Burgwerben and Kriechau.
The single vineyard site Naumburger Sonneck includes, among other things, the cadastral district of Uichteritz, a district of Weißenfels.
