20213041_WGDE2021_ENGL

The breath-taking view from the Käsbergkanzel
onto the north loop of the river Neckar
TERRACES AND TROLLINGER
ON THE RIVER NECKAR
They are called Käsberg, Wurmberg or Mühlbächer, they have been terraced
for centuries and yet they are hardly known beyond their region.
Yes, we are talking about vineyards on the river Neckar.
We go local in order to get to the bottom of this mystery.
WORDS MATTHIAS NESKE
The Käsbergkanzel, a local peak, is a
fabulous vantage point, offering the
full view of the Neckar-loop. To the
left lies Mundelsheim, embedded in
vineyards, to the right the first houses of
Hessigheim. In between, like an
amphitheatre clinging to the hollowed-out
curve of the riverbank, you can see the
terraces, held in place by countless walls
and only reached by steep steps. This is a
kingdom of manual labour, of viticulture as
bone-breaking work.
“These terraces are planted to Trollinger,
95% of them,” says Karsten Faschian
whose estate lies inside the Neckar loop.
The wines made from them can be found
on the shelves of discount supermarkets for
less than EUR 4.00 a bottle. “This sort of
thing can only work when the winemakers
do not depend on wine income. They
cultivate these terraces on the weekends
while holding down daytime jobs.” Without
these small growers the terraces would no
longer exist. Yet, in years gone by, this had
actually been a successful business model,
explains Friedrich Fink, chairman of the
wine co-operative Lauffen-Mundelsheim.
DIFFERENT GRAPE VARIETIES
Currently, however, more and more elderly
growers have downed their tools –
while price competition on the domestic
608 falstaff Wine Guide Germany 2021