Kraichgau

The Kraichgau is a hilly landscape in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg covering about 1,630 square kilometres. It lies between the Odenwald to the north and the Black Forest to the south and borders the Upper Rhine plain to the west. The largest towns are Sinsheim, Eppingen, Bad Rappenau, Bretten and Bruchsal; the highest point is the Steinsberg at 333 metres. Because of its mild climate the area is often called the Baden Tuscany.

The loess here reaches a thickness of more than 30 metres, the greatest in Germany. Muschelkalk (shell limestone) and Keuper also come to the surface. The Odenwald and Black Forest shelter the vines, and summers are warm and fairly dry.

Riesling and Spätburgunder stand alongside Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Müller-Thurgau and Schwarzriesling. Well-known sites include the Burg Ravensburg near Sulzfeld and the Eichelberg. Cooperatives play a large role; family estates such as Burg Ravensburg, Heitlinger and Klumpp add to the picture.