Jakob Moise crouches in his vineyards on the Kaiserstuhl, photo credit: Jakob Moise
·

Big Risks, High Stakes: The New Climate Calculus on the Kaiserstuhl

ByRainer Schäfer

It is a landscape rife with charms and challenges: From their perch atop the Oberrotweiler Eichberg, on a long-dormant volcano that rises to 310 meters, Johannes Landerer and Jakob Moise can enjoy some of the finest views over the Kaiserstuhl and sprawling Rhine Basin in Baden. The early morning sun is quickly rising, but the Kaiserstuhl, normally a place of striking warmth, has seen an unusual amount of precipitation in the summer of 2024, leaving it greener than at any time in recent memory. But if this pair of Kaiserstuhl winegrowers agree on anything, it’s that this situation is likely…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here
Wish You Were Here! Love, Bodensee
·

Wish You Were Here! Love, Bodensee

ByChristoph Raffelt

Ask a German about their favorite domestic vacation spots and Bodensee — aka Lake Constance — routinely sits near the top of the list. The country’s largest lake offers plenty of water and winter sports, proximity to Switzerland and Austria, the island of Mainau, and the Reichenau peninsula with its medieval history and churches.  Then ask about dream winegrowing destinations, and watch Bodensee slip way, way down the list. With a reputation for simple wines that do little more than embody lake life, it is no wonder that in recent times Bodensee has struggled to be taken seriously. But a small group of young…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here
Weingut Blankenhorn: French Inspiration, Local Engagement
· ·

Weingut Blankenhorn: French Inspiration, Local Engagement

ByBart De Vries

Weingut Blankenhorn It wasn’t love at first sight for Martin and Yvonne Männer of Weingut Blankenhorn in Schliengen. On a trip to Switzerland in spring 2015, they were initially disappointed by the Gutedel (a.k.a. Chasselas) they found there. Or, to be more precise: by how the vintners they encountered vinified it. But when they ordered a bottle of 18-year-old Chasselas Médinette Dézalay Grand Cru from Domaine Louis Bovard on their last night in Geneva, at the Michelin-starred Le Chat-Botté, they realized they had found the key to making a multifaceted, indeed divine Gutedel. Ever since, Langlebigkeit, or longevity, has been part of Weingut Blankenhorn’s DNA. Their wines tell a…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here
Eight hand drawn wine glasses on colored background in the style of Andy Warhol
·

Varietal Psychology

ByRainer Schäfer

There’s no end to writings about how wine affects people. It begets relaxation and well-being, of course, but also stimulating discussion. The right bottle can be just the spark needed to light up a dull evening. But can certain wines channel our moods and perceptions — our very psychology — in different ways?  This question was often posed by Wolf-Dietrich Salwey, a vintner who passed away in a car accident in 2011. Known for his unconventional character, Salwey routinely invited neighbors, colleagues, and friends to his estate in Oberrotweil in the Kaiserstuhl to explore the influence of specific grape varieties…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here
Landwein: Flouting Rules to Follow Instinct
·

Landwein: Flouting Rules to Follow Instinct

ByKatharina Matheis

Germany seems to require an official examination for everything. Qualitätsweine (“quality wines”) are no exception. Those that fail the test are slapped with the Landwein label. In April 2015, a group of top growers from Baden, deep in Germany’s southwest, joined forces to rebel against the official inspection system. Flouting what officials would think of as a demotion, they decided to wear Landwein as a badge of honor. Baden has long been seen as the kinder, more conventional Germany. Thus Landwein is a direct challenge to that sensibility, one that takes on more significance because it seemed the unlikeliest of places for revolt.  It happened the way so many…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here