Location and Landscape
The Batzenberg is a vineyard hill south of Freiburg. It lies between Schallstadt, Pfaffenweiler and Ehrenkirchen, which also includes Kirchhofen and Norsingen. The vineyard is assigned to the wine-growing region Baden and the Markgräflerland.
The Batzenberg is about four kilometres long, 1.2 kilometres wide and rises to 326 metres above sea level. Its plots differ in altitude, aspect and microclimate. Fine-grained tertiary sediments form gentler slopes; in the Pfaffenweiler section, clay-loess soils as well as plots with a high proportion of yellow limestone are documented.
Development of Viticulture
The Batzenberg is documented as a single vineyard site and has been used exclusively for winegrowing since land consolidation (Flurbereinigung). Between 1955 and 1971, plots were combined, terraces levelled out, dry-stone walls removed, paths laid out and wider trellis systems introduced. Old or diseased vines were removed and replaced with phylloxera-resistant grafted vines.
Before land consolidation, the vineyard consisted of many terraced plots, each averaging about three ares, separated by dry-stone walls and worked mostly by hand.
Grape Varieties and Wine Styles
Gutedel and the Pinot family are among the most important grape variety groups on the Batzenberg. Before land consolidation, almost the entire vineyard area was planted with Gutedel. The wines associated with this are described as light, low in acid and uncomplicated. Wines from the classic Pfaffenweiler Batzenberg line are dry or fruity, structured and characterised by their grape variety character.
Selection and Maturing
In the documented selection, part of the yield is removed during the growing season; the remaining grapes are separated during ripening. Selection wines come from healthy vines from suitable plots and from cultivation with reduced yields. A documented Pinot family selection from the Batzenberg matures in new barrique and tonneaux casks.
