After the junction of wine producers Winzerkeller Auggener Schäf and the wine co-op Laufen, the wine co-op Erste Markgräfler Winzergenossenschaft Schliengen/Mühlheim and the vintner group Winzer von Silerberg in Bahlingen follow suit. Both wine producers are located in the winegrowing region of Kaiserstuhl near Germany’s Black Forest.

The members of the associations will vote on the merger in November after an assessment has been completed. A two-thirds majority vote will close the deal, which will then go into retroactive effect as per July 1 of this year.

The Winzer von Silerberg will hand vinification, marketing and sales over to Schliengen, but will be well-represented on the Board of Directors. The Bahlingen contingent brings along a “dowry” of 120 ha vineyards into this new union; Schliengen completes this with 232 ha. Wolfgang Grether, managing director in Schliengen, sees a clear marketing advantage: the new product palette will have wines from three different areas in Baden, as the Winzer von Silberg are affiliated with a 25 hectare winery in the Tuniberg area, in addition to their partners in Kaiserstuhl.