Burg Ravensburg

Our pair have very different histories. Burg Ravensburg, in the village of Sulzfeld, north-west of Stuttgart and not far from the fabled university town of Heidelberg, in the extreme north of Baden, has a documented history going back to 1251, making it one of Germany’s oldest estates. Heitlinger, by contrast, is a modern estate a few kilometers north in the village of Tiefenbach that was rescued from bankruptcy a few years ago by Heinz Heiler, a great wine-enthusiast and owner of a beautiful golf-course across the way. Today, it also boasts a hotel, one of the top restaurants of the region and a first-class facility where the wines of both estates are made and aged. Herr Heiler had the great wisdom to hire as his General Manager a man called Claus Burmeister, who actually grew up on the Burg Ravensburg estate and is utterly steeped in the region. Soft-spoken but intense, Claus has lifted his two estates to the absolute summit of Baden wines, enjoying a degree of success in the press and at wine competitions without compare. They own 80% of the vineyards entitled to Grosses Gewächs status in the Kraichgau and Claus displays a mastery of different idioms that is quite remarkable. This estate can also claim to be the largest in Germany that is certified organic. They have also adopted a number of bio-dynamic practices. Their ability to offer a comprehensive range of wines on a large scale and at an elevated quality level is reminiscent of Austrian estates like Bründlmayer and Schloss Gobelsburg. The reasonableness of the prices is striking.

Producer:	Burg Ravensburg
Country:	Germany
Region:	Baden - Kraichgau
Subregion:	Kraichgau
City of Origin:	Östringen-Tiefenbach
Owner Name:	Heinz Heiler
Vineyard Size:	38 HA
Total Annual Production:	300,000 bottles

Property History:

Weingut Burg Ravensburg is at home in the idyllic landscape between Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, and Heilbronn known as the Kraichgau. This ambitious ambassador of Kraichgau wine culture lend the Baden region a special note. The pursuit of quality, sustainability, and a responsible approach to nature is the hallmark of the estate. With a combined vineyard area of more than 110 ha (272 acres), they number among Germany’s largest organic wine producers. Burg Ravensburg is member of the VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates), an organization comprising some of the country’s finest wine producers. Altitude: 190-285 meters/623-935 feet, Slope: up to 35% Burg Ravensburg wines are produced from the grapes of vines rooted in the mineral-rich, warm gypsum marl soils encircling the castle. The estate’s qualitatively outstanding vineyards and favorable topographical profile yield wines full of character that appeal with their fine mineral tones, ripe fruit, and long finish.

Owner History:

First mentioned in a document in 1251, the Burg Ravensburg winery is not only one of the oldest in the world, it is also known for its historic individual vineyards. The Heiler family now is the owner of the winery, following 26 generations of owner families. The vinyards are located on the south-western to south-eastern slopes and have characteristic names such as Riesling HUSARENKAPPE or KAPELLENBERG, Burgundy is known as LÖCHLE and Blaufränkisch as DICKER FRANZ.