Wineries
Winegrowers have been successfully cultivating wine in Schleswig-Holstein's vineyards since 2009 - despite the salty air, the strong winds and the well-known bad weather.
When you think of winegrowing, do you think of the vineyards on the Moselle and Rhine, the small, cozy wine shop in Tuscany or the many international wine labels in your trusted wine shop? But did you know that wine is also grown professionally in Schleswig-Holstein? Yes, you heard right! It all started when Rhineland-Palatinate transferred some of its unused planting rights - ten hectares of vineyards to be precise - to the northernmost federal state in 2009. The European Union has precise regulations on where and how much wine can be grown.
But that's not all. Legally speaking, Schleswig-Holstein's vineyards are not wine-growing areas, but are designated as Landwein areas. The wines produced may therefore only be marketed as country wine and not as quality wine. Nevertheless, the number of vines and the area of the country wine region in the true north grows by a few hectares every year, so that wine is now produced on an area of almost 30 hectares. By way of comparison: in Germany's other wine-growing regions, vines are grown on areas of between 450 and around 26,000 hectares. This makes Schleswig-Holstein one of the smaller wine-growing regions.
The family-run Ingenhof vineyard lies at the heart of Holstein, Switzerland, and it has been planting vines on Gröndalberg since 2009. Ingenhof also cultivates strawberries and other crops, and besides renting out holiday apartments, it offers guided tours of the farm and vineyard.
The winegrower Steffen James Montigny was one of the first to cultivate vines in the real North professionally in 2009. Today you can buy white wine and rosé under the label “So mookt wi dat” (That’s how we like it), made from grapes harvested from the vineyards of Holstein, Switzerland.
In the Waalem wine estate in Nieblum on the North Sea island of Föhr, you will find a very special kind of wine-growing area. The tasty grapes from the Johanniter and Solaris vines thrive here wonderfully well in the fresh breeze of salty North Sea air and with the mudflat on the doorstep.
The Balthasar Ress vineyard, located on the edge of the village of Keitum on the North Sea island of Sylt, is in the direct vicinity of the Wadden Sea. The climate with its many hours of sunshine (yes, you heard right) offers ideal conditions for the Solaris and Rivaner grapes.
The bio-certified vineyard is situated right beside the classical mansion on the Deutsch-Nienhof estate. The Solaris, Rondo and Cabernet Cortis grapes grow here. The red and white grapes make tasty wines under the name KROON 54° 15‘, which are sold directly on the Deutsch-Nienhof estate.
Germany’s northernmost vineyard was created in Keitum on the North Sea island of Sylt in 2009 with 2,700 vines. Initially, only sufficient for the winegrowers’ own needs, today, this Schleswig-Holstein table wine made from the white wine grape Solaris is offered for sale and for tasting. Incidentally: the area is run entirely along ecological lines.
The vineyard in the district of Stormann has been cultivating vines naturally in and busily processing grapes for the three types of white wine since 2017. The first wine from “Schatoh Feldmark” is set to come on the market in 2020.
Wine experiences in the true north
How is wine grown in the true north? Where is it processed? And most importantly, what does wine from Schleswig-Holstein taste like? You can find out all this and much more during a wine tasting, sampling or guided tour of Schleswig-Holstein's wineries.
For example, how about a guided tour of the historic Ingenhof and the lush green vineyard? Enjoy the delicious wine and the view of the lakes and gentle landscape of Holstein Switzerland!
At the Waalem winery on Föhr, you can take part in a public or individual wine tour in the direct company of the Wadden Sea and the harsh North Sea climate. Or you can taste the delicious wine from the two wineries in Keitum on the neighboring island of Sylt.
Did you know?
In 2015, the Solaris white wine from the SJ Montigny winery in Grebin took second place in the tasting of wines made from fungus-resistant grape varieties and was awarded a prize by the State Viticulture Institute in Freiburg.
This and other wines make wonderful souvenirs from your next vacation in Schleswig-Holstein! You can buy Schleswig-Holstein country wines at the respective wineries and their own local farm stores and regional supermarkets.
