Hessigheim Germany Baden-Wurttemberg
Frequently Asked Questions
At the foot of the Felsengärten, on the Neckar in Baden-Württemberg. Shell limestone walls rise above the river with vines clinging below them in tight terraces. The landing stage is modest; the setting is not.
The rock gardens, the limestone cliffs overlooking this bend of the Neckar. The site was voted the best vineyard viewpoint in Württemberg in 2016. It is one of the most surprising wine landscapes in Germany.
Climb into the Felsengärten on the marked trails from the landing stage, come back down for a tasting at the wine cooperative, then walk or cycle along the river. The village itself takes about fifteen minutes to see.
About twenty minutes of effort from the landing stage, up through the vine rows. The gradient quickly tells you what winegrowing here involves. Proper shoes are needed, and stay on the marked paths: the rock is fragile and the drops are real.
Not a great deal, and it is only fair to say so: a few quiet streets around the church and the half-timbered town hall. Life revolves around the Felsengartenkellerei wine cooperative. The cliffs and the vines make this call, not the village.
Trollinger, Lemberger and Riesling, grown on steep slopes where every row of vines rests on a dry-stone wall. Germans keep most of this production for themselves, which is a good reason to taste it on the spot.
A broom tavern, opened temporarily by a winegrower in their own premises when the season allows. They serve the house wine with something to go alongside. The cooperative also offers tastings facing the terraced slopes.
The euro. In a village this size, Besenwirtschaften and small producers often work in cash only. Bring notes if you plan to take bottles home.
Yes. A cycling and walking path follows the river in both directions, flat and free of climbing, ideal for an hour on foot. Besigheim, a small medieval town often listed among the prettiest wine villages in the country, is a few kilometres downstream.
The stretch between Mundelsheim and Hessigheim is among the finest on the Neckar: the ship passes literally at the foot of the cliffs, close enough to make out marine fossils in the stone. Climbing parties often animate the rock face.
