The Five Best Wineries in Baden, Germany

The wine region of Baden Baden is oft-considered to be one of Germany’s best kept secrets. It receives far fewer visitors than the mega-producing region of nearby Rheinhessen, but still boasts some of the county’s most accomplished vineyards and cellar doors. But, winemaking here is no new feat and various producers have been growing Pinot and Riesling on the soft hills of the Kaiserstuhl for centuries, each making the most of Baden’s curious microclimate. In fact, the region is hailed as the hottest in all of Germany, with a mild year-round climate that’s created by the enveloping Vosges Mountains and western Rhineland hills.

Here are five of the best-known and best-loved wineries in all of the Baden wine region, ranging from high-class Pinot producers, to dramatic clifftop castles in the heart of the Obertal valleys.

Sipping pinot in the sun at the Schloss Staufenberg

Photo via their official FB page.

If there were ever a prize for the most dramatic winery in Germany, surely the Schloß Staufenberg would be a contender. Perched high on a hilltop above the town of Durbach just west of the Rhine, the tasting house and cellars here jut out over the Obertal valley, as vineyards drop away sharply on both sides. While it’s actually located closer to the major metropolitan centre at Strasbourg than to Baden Baden itself, the Schloß Staufenberg remains an idyllic pastoral enclave in the warm northern reaches of Baden wine country.

Franz Keller – Schwarzer Adler: More than 100 years of viniculture in Germany

Sprawled across the magnificent undulating hills of the Kaiserstuhl, the Schwarzer Adler Winery is one of the long-time kingpins of viniculture excellence this side of the Rhine. Guests are invited to stay at the on-site hotel, where the Michelin-starred bistro boasts a cellar of more than 2,000 different bottles of red, white and rose to sample. Proudly family-owned, and with a tradition running back more than a century, the Franz Keller label is a prominent name on the Baden Baden wine circuit.

Wine and history combine at the Schloss Neuweier

This classic German chateau is the focal point of a patchwork of different vineyards that are strewn across the Baden Baden valley. These range from the Riesling-only fields on the slopes of the Black Forest Mountains (the Schlossberg), to the fabled Heiligenstein vineyard, where the Neuweier growers cultivate their trademark Pinot Noir red and rose. But wines aside, the site itself here is worthy of attention; it dates back to the early 13th century, and is supposed to be one of the historic focal points of family feuds between the various margraves of Baden.

Explore the hills of Durbach at the Weingut Danner

Photo via their official FB page.

Also close to the small Obertal town of Durbach, the Weingut Danner vineyard professes to excel in the organic and earthy techniques of old winemaking. Their large cellars of colossal oak barrels and more modern stainless steel equipment are used to ferment three classes of Baden wines, from the light and fruity Type 1, to the full-bodied Baden classics of Type 3. Also on-site are a number of comfy and peaceful self-catering accommodation options, which come complete with great access to the walking trails of the Black Forest.

Pinot in all its varieties at the Weingut Bercher

Photo via their official website.

No fewer than 10 generations of the Bercher Family have brewed the Pinot grapes of the Kaiserstuhl hills from this magnificent chateau house in Burkheim. Consequently, guests can expect an intimate and quality experience that’s at once personal and expert in its take on tasting. The undisputed specialities of the Bercher winery are the noir, gris and blanc Burgundies, while the Weingut is also known for its classic-tasting bottles of chardonnay and Riesling; definitely worth a try!