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Lava, Loess and Loam

The region surrounding the Kaiserstuhl is known to connoisseurs as an absolute paradise for wine. The fertile volcanic outcrop in the Upper Rhine Plain offers magnificent wine-growing areas. A turbulent geological history has blessed the Kaiserstuhl with the best possible conditions. Millions of years ago, emerging from hot lava, the dark volcanic rock, covered by a bright layer of loess and loam, captured the warmth of the sun as if it were still coming directly from the primal depths of the earth. The Black Forest massif as well as the Vosges Mountains act additionally like a protective wall against the harsh winds from the east and rains from the west. The vegetation conveys an almost Mediterranean flair.

Wine has been cultivated here since the early Middle Ages. Even back then the loess covered slopes of the Kaiserstuhl were terraced to guard against erosion. Today, the unique landscape is characterized by the traditional and painstaking handiwork of the small embankments from the Middle Ages as well as the more modern large embankments.