Pure elegance

2024 Burkheimer Crémant “HINGABE” brut, Burkheimer Schlossgarten,  Burkheimer Winzer am Kaiserstuhl cooperative

Baden Sekt bA, bottle fermentation, 12.5%, €10.50.

A very elegant fragrance, with a rich, mouth-filling mousse on the tongue that leads to an equally elegant finish. Absolutely beautiful! Perfect for toasting at special occasions.

The Burkheim winegrowers are a community of around 35 winegrowing families who cultivate approximately 115 hectares on the southwestern edge of the Kaiserstuhl hills, near France. The vines grow partly on loess and partly on volcanic soils. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are the main varieties. Burkheim itself is a charming, picturesque, historic village belonging to the municipality of Vogtsburg.

Smooth elegance

Geldermann Crémant Baden brut  Geldermann Private Sparkling Wine Cellar, Breisach am Rhein

And although Geldermann belongs to the large Rotkäppchen group, this winery is actually located in Breisach am Kaiserstuhl and offers a truly Baden Crémant. Interesting cellar tours are also available.

Good to drink

2024 Auxerrois dry, Josef Ambs Wine Estate, Bötzingen

Quality wine from Baden, Kaiserstuhl, estate bottled, 11%.

I'm always happy to find good wines with low alcohol: A promising aroma on the nose with hints of green apples; pleasant and approachable on the palate with a touch of sweetness; a substantial finish.

The Josef Ambs winery is a young one, run by the brothers and master winemakers Andreas and Manuel Ambs on the outskirts of Bötzingen. Auxerrois is a less commonly planted white wine grape variety that produces light, approachable wines, somewhat similar to Pinot Blanc.

It's fun – more than just easy drinking:

2025 Auxerrois dry, bottled by Peter Briem KG Wine Estat, Ihringen-Wasenweiler

Baden quality wine, 12%, €11.50

Fresh fruit on the nose, hints of lemon; fresh and fruity on the palate; plenty of substance in the finish. 

Textured, subtly sweet

White Burgundy and Sauvignon Blanc, fine fruit, Bischoffinger Winzer eG, Vogtsburg

Quality wine from Baden, Kaiserstuhl region, 11% alcohol, €7.50

Subtle nose; on the palate delicately fruity, fresh, clean; substantial finish.

Beautiful quality

2023 Breisacher Eckartsberg Pinot Gris dry, Badischer Winzerkeller, Breisach

Quality wine Baden, 13%

Deep aroma with stimulating earthy notes; full-bodied on the tongue, clean, equally stimulating; long, mouth-filling finish.

For the higher quality wines, I awarded bonvinitas points ; for this 91 red, category 2, dry, over 12%.

Entertaining

2023 ‘Famose Chose’ Pinot Gris dry,
Bettina Schumann Wine Estate, Bahlingen

Baden quality wine, 12.5%, €12.90

Fresh, slightly floral fragrance; catchy body with a nice edge; charming, slightly floral finish.

For chewing, with plenty of substance 

2024 ‘The Gateway to the Kaiserstuhl’ Old Vine Pinot Gris dry, Winzergenossenschaft Bischoffingen-Endingen am Kaiserstuhl

Endinger Vulkanfelsen, Baden quality wine, 13.5%, €8.50

A delicate aroma – yet very typical; lively on the palate with a subtle floral note; a lovely, lingering finish. I rated it 93 bonvinitas points. 

Tells a lot

2025 Pinot Gris Ihringen village wine, dry, estate bottled, Konstanzer Wine Estate, Ihringen

Quality wine from Baden, 13%, €9.90. For those who want a wine that tells its story: fruity depth on the nose; full-bodied on the palate with floral undertones that intensify in the finish, ending elegantly. I awarded it 92 points on Bonvinitas. The winery, run by Horst Konstanzer, primarily offers classic Burgundy varieties, as well as Silvaner, Muscat, and Chardonnay.

It continues to grow until the finish – a wine to experience.

2023 Souvignier Gris VDP Ortswein Premium dry
VDP Staatsweingut Blankenhornsberg, Ihringen

Quality wine from Baden, Kaiserstuhl, 14.5% alcohol, in a 0.5 l returnable bottle, €22. Souvignier Gris is a newer sg PIWI (fungus-resistant) variety that produces very good wines and is now well-established. The state winery on the Blankenhornsberg is also involved in innovations to gather experience and offer recommendations.


 

Mouthful of wine

2023 Bötzinger Pinot Blanc ‘RESERVE’ dry  Estate bottled Bötzinger eG

Baden quality wine, 13.5%, €13

A wonderful Pinot Blanc aroma, a textbook example, with hints of ripe apples; a rich body, filling the palate with mineral notes; a lingering, substantial finish. I enjoyed it immensely and awarded it 94 points.

For those who prefer a decidedly dry style

2024 Pinot Blanc Oberrotweil Käsleberg dry, Peter Strohm Wine Estate, Vogtsburg-Achkarren

Quality wine from Baden, 12.5%, €12

Appealing aroma; robust and full-bodied on the palate – distinctly dry; powerful finish. Peter Strohm: “In all cellar work, the principle of conscious inaction, coupled with attentive observation, applies, and the principle that good things take time.”

Easy drinking

2025 Achkarrer Castellberg White Burgundy Kabinett dry, Achkarrer Winzer am Schlossberg cooperative

Baden quality wine, 12.5%, 7.90

A pleasant aroma of fresh apples; on the tongue, an appealingly subtle sweetness that leads into a pronounced finish accompanied by a delicate sweetness.

As catchy as it is individual

2025 Ihringer Fohrenberg White Burgundy Kabinett semi-dry, Gerhard Karle Wine Estate, Ihringen

Prädikatswein Baden Kaiserstuhl, 12%, €8.20

A very inviting fragrance; an equally inviting body, subtly peppery; a finish as catchy as it is distinctly individual.

Encouraging

2025 Rosé off-dry, Johannes Weber Wine Estate Merdingen

Quality wine from Baden, 12%, €7.50.

On the nose, delicate strawberry; on the palate, a subtle yet invigorating sweetness that continues into the finish. Owning

his own winery was Johannes Weber's dream, which he was able to realize after passing his master winemaker's examination. "Our winery embodies a love of nature, a spirit of experimentation, and youthful energy," is his credo, which is clearly reflected in the wine.

Full-bodied rosé with mineral notes

2025 Eichstetter Rosé dry 'by m & b Schmidt', estate bottled by Friedrich Kiefer, Eichstetten

Quality wine Baden Kaiserstuhl, 12%, €8.50

An inviting aroma that immediately draws you in; full-bodied on the palate, beautifully dry; expressive finish with mineral notes. I rated it with a remarkable 92 green bonvinitas points, green being for dry wines with an alcohol content of just 12%.

The Friedrich Kiefer winery is a larger estate, encompassing 16 hectares, and is completely up-to-date, as this lighter yet expressive rosé demonstrates. "Light loess soils give us delicate wines, such as Pinot Blanc and Riesling. Loess soils with a clay content tend to produce full-bodied, dense wines with a rich, creamy texture, such as Pinot Gris. Volcanic weathering soils with a thin layer of loess loam yield powerful, fiery wines, such as Pinot Noir," the presentation states.

A white wine as it should be

2025 Spätburgunder Weißherbst 'Sonne' Estate Bottled Kaiserstühler Winzer Ihringen eG

Quality wine from Baden, 10%, €5

Intense floral notes, distinct strawberry; captivating body, subtle sweetness; a finish to fall in love with.

full-bodied, rich red wine

2025 Pinot Noir 'Edition SR' dry, estate bottled by Stefan Rinklin, Bötzingen

Baden quality wine, 12.5%, €9.50

A powerful aroma that immediately grabs your attention, with notes of sour cherry compote; full-bodied, mellow, and coating the palate; a lingering, rich finish with subtly pronounced tannins – perfect for those who don't like peppery wines. I was particularly impressed by the mere 12.5% ​​alcohol.

Stefan Rinklin is a very dedicated winemaker who primarily cultivates Burgundy varieties.

Skillfully peppery

2023 Oberrotweiler Käsleberg Spätburgunder dry  Estate bottled Peter Strohm Wine Estate, Vogtsburg-Achkarren

Quality wine from Baden, 14%

A robust and vibrant red wine aroma with notes of sour cherry compote and a hint of cherry liqueur; full-bodied, it practically immerses you in a depth of fruitiness; a perfectly executed, skillfully peppery finish – I enjoyed it immensely and rated it 94 bonvinitas points. Unfortunately, this vintage is now sold out, but I'm sure they can offer the next one.

Peter Strohm is a young winemaker who is primarily bringing old vineyards back to a completely natural form of viticulture.

Lots of wine

2022 ‘Orchidea’ Sasbacher Rote Halde Pinot Noir Spätlese dry red wine, estate bottled Sasbacher Winzerkeller eG

Baden quality wine, 14%. The 2023 vintage is on offer for €17.50.

Deep aroma with hints of chocolate, oak, a touch of tar; on the palate, a comforting fullness with a melt-in-the-mouth texture; sumptuous finish – I awarded it 93 bonvinitas points.

Cellar master Werner Giener with the 'Orchdea', of which he can be justifiably proud. 70 winegrowing families cultivate around 107 hectares, primarily on volcanic weathering soils as well as loess soils.

Encouraging

2022 ‘ménage à trois’ Pinot Noir Estate Bottled Heidi's Heaven Wine Estate, Vogtsburg-Oberbergen

Baden regional wine, 13%, €19.

Deep aroma, notes of Morello cherries, dark chocolate, a hint of roses; full-bodied, fruity, and invigorating on the palate; a very pleasant finish, culminating in a touch of juniper. A lovely wine, which I rated with 93 bonvinitas points.

It's a small boutique winery, founded in 2023 by Heidi Horsch and Julia Gut. "For people who want to taste authenticity in wine – clear, pure, and personal," is their credo, and you can feel Heidi's enthusiasm for producing great wines. The grapes are still pressed in a small basket press, as is typical for must. This wine truly impressed me, which is why I rated it with 93 bonvinitas points.

Text: Dieter Simon, wine and lifestyle blogger and publisher of  www.bonvinitas.com . Bottle photos: bonvinitas, others as indicated.