Summary
Weingut Schloss Ortenberg sits at the foot of the castle of the same name in the Ortenau near Offenburg and is one of the most historic estates in Baden. Its roots reach back to 1407; in its present form it was created in 1997 from the merger of two municipal wineries and was long regarded as the largest municipal winery in Germany. On around 45 hectares, mostly on weathered granite, it grows above all Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Klingelberger – the Ortenau name for Riesling. Since 2021 the estate has belonged to the hotelier Thomas Althoff, who is developing it further with a clear focus on single vineyards.
History
The estate's history begins in 1407, when vineyards were donated to the St. Andreas Hospital in Offenburg. For centuries, winegrowing funded the care of the sick and needy – and the St. Andreas hospital estate remained in municipal hands.
In parallel, the district revived the old wine tradition around Ortenberg Castle in 1950 by founding the Schloss Ortenberg experimental wine estate, which tested new grape varieties and growing methods for the region. On 1 April 1997, the city of Offenburg and the Ortenau district merged the two operations into Weingut Schloss Ortenberg – at the time the largest municipal winery in Germany.
In 2021 the hotelier Thomas Althoff acquired the estate. It is managed today by Ortenau native Matthias Wolf, who gained experience in South Africa and New Zealand. Cellar master Hanspeter Rieflin has shaped the wines since the 1997 merger and ensures continuity.
Location & Terroir
The Ortenau stretches as a narrow strip along the western slopes of the Black Forest between Baden-Baden and Offenburg. The estate's vineyards lie around Ortenberg, Zell-Weierbach and Zunsweier, partly on steep slopes below the castle, which sits on a granite outcrop.
The defining feature is the weathered granite soils, rather rare in winegrowing and effectively the DNA of the wines here. In places, colourful sandstone (Buntsandstein) and loess are added. Climatically, the warmth of the Upper Rhine plain meets cool downslope winds from the Black Forest. The result is wines with ripe fruit, lively acidity and a fine, spicy-mineral note.
Style & Philosophy
Schloss Ortenberg focuses on the classic varieties of the Ortenau: Spätburgunder and Klingelberger each account for a good quarter of the vineyard area. They are joined by Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. As a former experimental estate, it was also a forerunner for international varieties such as Syrah and Merlot, which were first planted in the Ortenau here.
Stylistically, the focus is on dry, precise wines that emphasise their granite origin. The Pinot Noirs combine fruit and freshness with a Burgundian-style elegance, while the Rieslings show raciness and minerality. Under the new leadership, vineyard work has been further geared towards quality and sustainability.
Notable Sites & Wines
The top of the range is the Sankt Andreas line, named after the historic hospital estate, with single-vineyard wines from the best parcels. The most important sites include:
- Ortenberger Schlossberg – a steep granite site directly below the castle
- Ortenberger Andreasberg – a monopole owned solely by the estate
- Zeller Abtsberg in Zell-Weierbach
- Zunsweierer Halde
Below that there is a broad range of estate and village wines, as well as rosé, sparkling wine and red blends with international varieties.
Awards
The estate is regularly rated in the leading wine guides. In Falstaff, around a dozen wines recently scored 90 points or more, and the Wine Advocate has also awarded several ratings above 90 points, including for a red blend. Schloss Ortenberg is thus regarded as one of the reliable quality addresses of the Ortenau – and as proof of how much potential lies in Pinot Noir and Riesling from granite.
