Discover the wine paradise of southwest Germany

Around 1,800 years ago, the Romans planted the first vineyards in southwest Germany , starting a wine-growing tradition that still produces wines that are among the best in Europe. In the regions of Baden and Württemberg, which together form the larger region of Baden-Württemberg, you can experience wine culture at its best. With the tips in this article, you can experience the German wine regions at their best, where an extensive tasting is of course not to be missed. Cheers!

Unknown wine names

The names of German wines may not sound familiar, but don't let that put you off. For example, Spätburgunder is the German name for Pinot Noir. The wines are no less than their better-known French counterparts, but of course they do have a hint of Southwest Germany in them. The Baden Spätburgunder, for example, reminds you of blackberries and Morello cherries. The friendly winegrowers are happy to tell you about their vineyards and wines, so start a conversation to find out more. This way, your visit to Southwest Germany will be a true voyage of discovery for you and your taste buds.

Baden wine region

With 15,500 hectares of vineyards, Baden is in the top three of the largest wine-growing regions. Here, between the city of Heidelberg and the Swiss border, the sun shines an average of 2,000 hours per year and you can taste that in the wines. Forty percent of the vineyards grow red grapes, mainly of the Spätburgrunder type. The other sixty percent are white grapes, mainly of the Grauburgunder type, the German variant of Pinot Gris. Learn more about Baden wines on this page or go on a discovery tour on the wine route in Baden.

^{Foto: Achtertal / Badischer Wein GmbH}

Recommended: the wine route in Baden

Experience Baden's wine culture on the more than five hundred kilometre long Badische Weinstraße, the Baden Wine Route. Start in Heidelberg and wind along the Badische Bergstraße and through Baden-Baden and the wine regions of Ortenau, Breisgau, Kaiserstuhl, Tuniberg, and Markgräflerland to the end point in Basel, Switzerland. Along the way, you can enjoy fresh green vineyards and beautiful views of the hilly Baden countryside from winding roads.

^{Foto: Badischer Wein GmbH}

Don’t forget to stop regularly along the way to taste wines, stroll through idyllic wine villages and take a walk through the vineyards. The winegrowers along the route are very hospitable and will gladly give you a look into their wine cellars, with the possibility to buy the wine on the spot. It doesn’t get more local than that! On the website about the wine route you will find all the highlights along the route, including the wineries with tastings. There are 36 wine hotels along the route, so you can spread your road trip over several days.

Do you prefer to go by bike? Then follow the 460 kilometre long 'wine cycle path' from Laudenbach to Grenzach.

^{Foto: Wijnfietspad / C. Keller / Schwarzwald Tourismus}

Württemberg wine region

The vineyards of Württemberg are located in the area along the Neckar River and north of Stuttgart. Seventy percent of the wines produced here are red wines, mainly of the Trollinger variety, which is grown almost exclusively in Germany. The wines produced here are so good that most of the wine is drunk by the locals and not exported. Some of the grape varieties that grow here are only found in Württemberg, such as the Muskattrollinger, Samtrot and Kerner. A wine made from these grapes is therefore a must-try.

Wine highlights Württemberg

In the Alte Kelter wine museum near Stuttgart you will learn all about the 2000-year history and present of the wine culture in Württemberg. End your visit with a local wine in the Weinstüble tavern and then take a road trip along the Württemberg wine highlights, which you will see with completely different eyes thanks to your new knowledge. Twenty minutes away is the award-winning Weingärtner Esslingen, where you can take a walk along small wine tastings.

^{Foto's: Esslingen / Daniel Schneider}

Take a road trip through Württemberg to experience wine culture at its best. In the Remstal, visit the Remstal winery in Grunbach, where over a hundred grape varieties grow. In the surrounding area, sample surprising new wines at members of the Remstalkellerei and Fellbacher Weingärtner cooperatives .

^{Foto: Wijnmakerij Grunbach / Benjamin Stollenberg}

^{Foto's: Remstal / Daniel Schneider}

Twenty-five kilometres north of Stuttgart lies the medieval town of Besigheim, where you can sip your wine in the old-fashioned taverns. Further north, near Heilbronn, lies a training and research institute for wine culture. New grape varieties are developed here, which you can taste in your glass at the Wein Villa Heilbronn. South of Stuttgart lies Metzingen , with seven wine presses in the centre, a paradise for wine lovers. Tip: taste the organic wines of Weingärtnergenossenschaft Metzingen-Neuhausen .

^{Foto: Stuttgart / Daniel Schneider}

Tip: wine festivals in Baden-Württemberg

Fancy a party? Visit one of the fun wine festivals that are held annually. Some recommendations:

• The Wine Village Festival in Stuttgart, with 125 stalls and 500 local wines (twelve days in late August/early September).

• Heilbronn Wine Village Festival, with music and local wines (mid-September).

• Meersburg Lake Constance Wine Festival, with local delicacies and matching wines (mid-September).

• Freiburg Wine Festival, with over four hundred wines that will make connoisseurs salivate (early July).

To complete your wine experience

During your road trip through Baden-Württemberg, also pay attention to the style of the wineries. You will find the perfect combination of authentic and modern buildings. For example, admire the Franz Keller winery near Freiburg, which blends in beautifully with the landscape with its unique design and green roof. East of Stuttgart lies the Wilhelm Kern winery, whose windows in the larch wood facade follow the contours of the surrounding vineyards.

You've read it already: the Southwest German wine region has more to offer than you can discover in one day. Therefore, spend the night in a unique accommodation between the vineyards. For example, sleep in a converted wine barrel in Sasbachwalden, a wooden cabin of the Baumhaushotel or in one of the sixty certified Weinsüden Hotels in wine villages or on wine estates.

Are you looking for more tips for your holiday in Southwest Germany? Also read our blog: ' Southwest Germany: the land of a thousand beers ' or view our theme page On holiday in Southwest Germany .