Thanks to its soil and favorable weather, winemaking has been central to daily life in this part of Germany for at least 1,500 years. In September, town markets and produce stands burst with dozens of varieties of ripe grapes as well as plums, pears and apples.
Many vintners give tours. At the Weingut Felix and Kilian Hunn in Gottenheim, about midway between Freiburg and the Rhine, Kilian Hunn and wife Martina are proud to show off an operation which produces about 70,000 bottles annually. Guests can take a guided stroll through the vineyards and sample five wines for €3.50.
Like many wineries, the Hunns also operate a Strausswirtschaft, a seasonal restaurant with wines by the glass and homemade dishes such as pork shoulder simmered in wine, smoked bacon and bread, and fresh potato salad from the family kitchen. (Weingut Felix and Kilian Hunn, Rathausstrasse 2, D-79288 Gottenheim, tel. +49/7665/6207, fax 6223, e-mail:
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)
For a broader sampling of wine, the Alte Wache on Freiburg's Cathedral Square represents more than 30 local vintners and offers more than 100 wines. Formal tastings are generally reserved for groups, but call manager Alixe Winter, who may be able to merge you with an existing reservation. (Alte Wache, Mnsterplatz 38, D-79098 Freiburg, tel. +49/761/202870, fax 2028713, e-mail:
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.)
Sekt, Germany's sparkling champagne-style wine, has an extensive tradition in the region. To learn what it's all about, take a guided tour of the extensive cellars and bottling operation at the Geldermann Privatsektkellerei. Two-hour tours, which run six times daily except Sundays and holidays, cost €5 and include a detailed and informative wine tasting (Geldermann Privatsektkellerei, Am Schlossberg 1, D-79206 Breisach, tel. +49/7667/ 834 100, fax 834-351, e-mail:
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, Web: www.geldermann.de
