Location and historical references
Sommerhalde is a vineyard area on the Scheibengipfel, or on the Achalm, near Reutlingen in the winegrowing region of Württemberg and in the winegrowing area of Oberer Neckar. The name refers to a south-facing slope that is considered favourable for viticulture. Historical sources provide evidence of several Sommerhalde areas on the Achalm slope.
Viticulture in Reutlingen
The Reutlinger Sommerhalde has been documented since at least 1343; further evidence comes from the years 1405, 1471 and 1729. After approval in 2002, viticulture was resumed on a private plot near the Goldloch below the Achalm. The first new vines were planted there in 2003.
Vineyard areas and varieties
The city-managed vineyard covers around 58 ares and is cared for year-round by the municipal forestry operation. This includes, among other things, vine pruning and work on the foliage. The following are documented there: Blauer Portugieser, Schwarzriesling and Müller-Thurgau. In the Sommerhalde Goldloch area of the Reutlingen Wine initiative, Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, Portugieser, Spätburgunder and Schwarzriesling grow.
Goldloch and wine
The Sommerhalde Goldloch project includes more than 50 standard fruit trees, dry-stone walls, natural-stone terraces or stone ridges, a wildflower ground cover and hedges. In addition, a wet biotope was planned. A documented Reutlingen Sommerhalde wine is a Schiller wine from a cuvée of five grape varieties, which was assembled in a large wooden cask before bottling.
