Summary
The Badischer Winzerkeller in Breisach am Rhein is the largest wine producer in Baden. It was founded in 1952 as the central cellar of the Kaiserstuhl winegrowers' cooperatives; today around 4,000 growers from roughly 50 local cooperatives deliver their grapes to Breisach. According to the cooperative, together they farm about 1,400 hectares of vines in seven Baden wine districts. The range comprises more than 500 wines and sparkling wines – with a clear focus on the Pinot varieties Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder, which ripen especially well in the warm climate between the Kaiserstuhl and the Markgräflerland.
History
The cooperative idea has a long tradition in Baden: many small family operations on the Kaiserstuhl and in the Breisgau farmed only a few rows of vines and would never have had access to modern cellar technology or larger markets on their own. After the Second World War, several local cooperatives therefore joined forces and on 13 March 1952 founded the Zentralkellerei Kaiserstühler Winzergenossenschaften in Breisach. The motto "One for all, all for one" was already written into the founding statutes.
As early as 1954 the winery was reorganised and became the regional central cellar for the whole of Baden – from the Badische Bergstraße in the north to Lake Constance in the south. Over the following decades Breisach grew into one of the largest wineries in Europe. In 1988 the cooperative took its current name, Badischer Winzerkeller eG.
The number of member cooperatives has changed repeatedly through local mergers; most recently it stood at around 50. There has been movement in recent years too: the cooperatives of Kürnbach and Sulzfeld in the Kraichgau, for example, switched to the Badischer Winzerkeller after decades of membership with Winzer von Baden. Today the cooperative is led by a board including André Weltz and Christian Schätzle.
Location & Terroir
Breisach sits on a rock right on the Rhine, directly opposite Alsace and at the foot of the Kaiserstuhl. This extinct volcanic massif is one of the warmest wine-growing areas in Germany: the Upper Rhine Plain, the sheltering Vosges to the west and the Black Forest to the east provide plenty of sunshine and little rain. The soils range from weathered volcanic rock to deep layers of loess, which form the typical terraces of the Kaiserstuhl.
Most of the member growers come from southern Baden – from the Kaiserstuhl and the neighbouring Tuniberg with its limestone and loess soils, through the Breisgau to the Markgräflerland, where Gutedel (Chasselas) traditionally grows alongside the Pinot varieties. With members from other districts such as the Kraichgau, the Winzerkeller covers seven Baden wine districts in total. Baden's warm climate particularly favours the Pinot family, which reaches full ripeness, soft fruit and good structure here.
Style & Philosophy
The Badischer Winzerkeller sees itself as a partner to its member growers and as a full-range supplier for the trade. During harvest the grapes are received centrally in Breisach, separated by variety, origin and quality, and vinified in the winery. The style is deliberately approachable: fruit-driven, clean whites, velvety Spätburgunder and fresh rosés, plus sparkling wines and seccos. A large share of the wines goes to grocery retail, complemented by specialist retailers, restaurants, exports and direct sales. The cooperative also offers its members services such as laboratory analysis, consulting, storage and logistics.
Brands and Lines
Several brands appear under the umbrella of the Badischer Winzerkeller, including:
- Badischer Winzerkeller – the main brand for Baden varietal wines
- Martin Schongauer – a line named after the late Gothic painter whose frescoes can be seen in Breisach Minster
- Heinrich Hansjakob – a line named after the Baden priest and popular writer
- Schloss Munzingen – sparkling wines
- Schumacher Wines – another brand of the house
Famous Vineyards & Wines
Because the Winzerkeller processes grapes from many villages, the focus is usually on the grape variety and the Baden origin rather than on individual vineyard sites. The flagship is Spätburgunder – from uncomplicated, fruity reds to more powerful, oak-aged versions. Among the whites, Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder are the best-known wines, complemented by Müller-Thurgau, Gutedel and newer fungus-resistant varieties such as Solaris, which is harvested among other things for Federweißer. For collectors, the cooperative also offers a selection of mature wine rarities in its online shop. Direct sales at the headquarters in Breisach are a good place to taste.
Awards
As a large producer, the Badischer Winzerkeller regularly enters its wines in competitions such as the Baden regional wine awards and the DLG national wine awards, where individual wines repeatedly win medals. At least as important is the cooperative's role for the region: for thousands of part-time and family growers on the Upper Rhine it secures vinification, marketing and thus the future of viticulture – entirely in the spirit of its founding motto, "One for all, all for one".
