Wine from Württemberg (155)

Wine from Württemberg - from the Neckar to Lake Constance

Württemberg, with its approximately 11,500 hectares of vineyard area, is the fourth-largest wine-growing region in Germany - and by far the one with the highest red wine yield. Trollinger, Lemberger, Spätburgunder - Württemberg is a land of red wine and offers specialties that cannot be found anywhere else. Join us on a journey through the region from north to south and step into the VINELLO Besenwirtschaft, where we have curated a fine selection of Württemberg wines for you.

Württemberg Wine Country

Wine from Württemberg; this is primarily red wine. However, on the diverse soils, protected by the Black Forest and Swabian Jura, white grape varieties also thrive magnificently. Riesling, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, and Grauburgunder can be found in the southern part of the nation. Along the Neckar and its tributaries Sulm, Enz, Rems, and Zuber, steep slopes of gypsum keuper, loess soils, shell limestone, sand, and volcanic rock line up. In the northern part of Württemberg stretches the wine region Kocher-Jagst-Tauber, featuring an equally diverse soil composition, much like the cycling routes that run through the vineyards. And what served great writers to balance their literary outpourings with wine can certainly not be wrong for wine lovers in general. 

Specialties - Connoisseurs Drink Württemberger

And that’s why only a few wines make it beyond the borders of the country. However, the Besenwirtschafts from the Tauber Valley to Lake Constance are full of them. On the wine lists, one finds the classics of Württemberg wines.

Trollinger

The most widely cultivated grape variety in Württemberg is the Blue Trollinger. The thick-skinned red-blue grapes grow, with tiny exceptions in Baden, only in the region. Outside Germany, its original homeland is South Tyrol, from which the grape variety probably derives its name. 

The mostly light red Trollinger red wine is highly acidic and is therefore usually enjoyed in the typical local spritz. High-quality wines develop higher extract values and must weights thanks to careful cellar work, although the acidity is noticeably reduced. This makes the Trollinger wine richer in content and gives it an intense color body. The bouquet exudes nuances of cherry and red currant, offering a lively and light wine for every occasion.

Lemberger / Blaufränkisch

Number two on the list of the most popular wines from Württemberg is Lemberger, also known as Blaufränkisch or Limberger. This red wine radiates the lightness of a Moselle white wine and the structure of a noble Burgundy. The late-ripening grape variety is excellent for aging, allowing the rich Lemberger wine to delight enthusiasts for a long time. In the glass, Lemberger shows a dark color and a pleasant acid-tannin harmony.

Schwarzriesling / Pinot Meunier / Müllerrebe

The old Burgundy variety has mainly been preserved in Germany in Baden-Württemberg, especially in Württemberg. The demands of the Schwarzriesling grape variety are relatively low, with quality often falling behind the major Burgundy varieties. Nevertheless, the Schwarzriesling enchants with fullness and elegance, as well as aromas of bitter almonds, cherries, and ripe plums.

Riesling

White wines from Württemberg are composed of Riesling, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, as well as Kerner and Grauburgunder. The former grape variety accounts for the lion's share - the vineyard area is only a few hundred hectares behind the Trollinger. Thus, the widely spread Riesling is almost solely responsible for the 30% white wine yields in Germany. The best products can easily compete with Riesling from the Moselle or from the Palatinate, as there are certainly Great Growths in Württemberg. Just like the simple Riesling Landwein, which, like many wines from the region, comes in a 1-liter bottle.

Schillerwein

A melodious name, yet without reference to Schiller, is borne by the Schillerwein. This refers to a rosé, that is, a wine with a pale to light red color, produced by mixing white and red mashed grapes. Apart from the flexible indication regarding color and the guideline that the grapes must come from a single vineyard, there are hardly any binding rules for its production. Thus, all grape varieties grown in Württemberg can appear in the rosé. This makes a rosé not only exceedingly fruity and enjoyable but also always exciting.

The Württemberg Grape Varieties

In Württemberg, a total of 11,500 hectares of wine vines grow. Approximately 70% of them are red grape varieties, thus 30% are white grape varieties found on the vineyards, roughly ⅔ of which are steep slopes.

Red Grape Varieties

• Trollinger
• Lemberger
• Schwarzriesling
• Samtrot
• Spätburgunder

White Grape Varieties

• Riesling
• Silvaner
• Müller-Thurgau
• Kerner

Winemakers and Wine Cooperatives

The wine landscape in Württemberg is characterized by numerous wine cooperatives, such as the Collegium Wirtemberg, an association of several winemakers for the joint marketing of wine. Several advantages arise for winemakers from a merger, as more vineyard area also means more grapes from which to select the best. This leads to targeted high-quality wine, enhancing the reputation of an entire region. Production costs from the vineyard to the cellar of the cooperative are also significantly reduced, as are marketing costs. Only the individual winemaker tends to take a back seat, as it is difficult to trace the winegrower on the label of a cooperative wine. 

The counterpart to this is the independent winery, such as Weingut Hirth or Weingut Aldinger. Wonderful, high-quality wines from Württemberg can be found here as well. We can only rejoice that the wines leave the region. For Württembergers rank high in per capita wine consumption statistics.

Wine Growing Regions in Württemberg

The wine-growing area of Württemberg consists of 5 regions. From north to south, they are:

Kocher-Jagst-Tauber

In northern Württemberg, the three rivers Kocher, Jagst, and Tauber come together to form a wine region specialized in white wine. Steep slopes facing south, skeletal-rich shell limestone, and keuper soils from Öhringen to the Steinbach Valley - ideal conditions have a tradition here for Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, and Silvaner. The wines present themselves lively and vital with a smooth acid-aroma harmony. So, when it comes to a white wine from Württemberg, one should take a trip to the Kocher-Jagst-Tauber wine region.

Württembergisches Unterland

At the center of the Württemberg growing area is the Württemberg Unterland around Heilbronn. The shell limestone and keuper soils stretch down to Ludwigsburg, making the region the largest area for wine from Württemberg. Numerous large and single locations can also be found here, where top red wines from the classics Trollinger, Lemberger, and Samtrot are vinified.

Remstal Stuttgart 

The best red wines from Württemberg probably come from the steep locations up to 400 meters above sea level around the state capital Stuttgart and the Remstal. The terraces around Stuttgart offer the winemaker a variety of soils, including shell limestone, keuper, marl, and fossil-rich clay soils. Perfect grounds for a rich cultivation of Trollinger, Lemberger, and Riesling. The latter grape variety, in particular, benefits from the cooler and rain-rich climate.

Oberer Neckar

The wine-growing area Oberer Neckar extends from Tübingen to Rottenburg. Approximately 30 hectares of vineyard area are cultivated here - in contrast to the Württemberg Unterland, this is almost negligible. And yet, local winemakers have been creating more than just easy-drinking wines from Trollinger with modern equipment and innovative methods for years. One can be curious about what the future holds for Oberer Neckar.

Württemberg and Bavarian Lake Constance

The southernmost wine region for Württemberger wine is mostly in Bavaria but completely at Lake Constance. Vineyard areas thrive from Kressbronn over Wasserburg and Nonnenhorn to Lindau, one of the three larger islands in Lake Constance. The lake between Alb and Alps serves the vines as a heat-storing reflector, pampering the grapes with pleasant temperatures at night. The stony, sandy, and clay-rich soil is strongly permeable to water, which promotes the cultivation of vineyard areas despite the frequent rain. Unique is the foehn from the Alps, which additionally warms the lake and quickly dries the grapes. Besides Müller-Thurgau and Weißburgunder, Spätburgunder and Blauburgunder benefit from these conditions. From the blue Spätburgunder, the Weißherbst is also pressed, a rosé wine made from red grapes, but vinified like a white wine. Additional locations can be found around the towers and gates of the city of Ravensburg.

Buy Württemberg Wine Online

Take it easy and carefree; VINELLO supplies you with the zest for life from the southern region. The best Württemberger wines from wine cooperatives and traditional wineries can be found with us in exquisite abundance. And to ensure that online shopping goes safely and worry-free, we offer you a variety of payment options, climate-neutral and fast shipping as well as our sommelier advice for all your questions and wishes. Contact us at the telephone number 0351 - 469 256 55 or around the clock via email at [email protected]. 

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