Location and single-vineyard site
The Weimar Poetenweg is a legally designated single-vineyard site in the Thuringia area of the Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region. The site is associated with the city of Weimar and extends in the surrounding area of Tiefurt, Großkromsdorf, Schöndorf and Denstedt. With around 46 hectares, it encompasses, according to the 2012 wine-growing inventory, a planted vineyard area of 46.3 hectares.
Topography, climate and soils
The vineyards are situated on a south-facing slope of the Kleine Ettersberg. The Poetenweg, which runs through vineyard, arable, grassland and fruit-growing areas, provides access to the sloping parcels. The city of Weimar describes the site as a climatic heat island with many days of sunshine; cooler north winds help to ensure a comparatively low air humidity. The soils consist of weathered shell limestone with proportions of loam and clay. Parts of the site are described as shallow, stony limestone soils with calcareous rubble.
Viticulture and cultivation
Viticulture at the Weimar Poetenweg was resumed in 2008 following a historical interruption. Since 2015, the Gleina agricultural cooperative has been cultivating the site in conjunction with the Freyburg-Unstrut winemakers’ association. The wines are marketed under the names Werkstück Weimar and Weimarer Poetenweg. The documented grape varieties include Auxerrois, Grauburgunder, Müller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Silvaner, Blauer Zweigelt, Dornfelder and Frühburgunder.
Wine style and production
The site is associated with dry wines, pronounced acidity that is integrated into the aroma profile, and good ageing potential. Cultivation includes, among other things, vine pruning, tying and bending of the shoots, repeated leaf trimming, regular checks and integrated plant protection. Harvest is carried out mechanically; for ice wine and trockenbeerenauslese, hand-harvesting remains planned. The first two hectares were converted to organic viticulture from 2020, and in 2023 the conversion phase was completed. The grapes from the Weimar vineyards are processed into quality wines by the Freyburg-Unstrut winemakers’ association.
