Wine from Petersberg Erfurt

Yes, there is wine from Erfurt. No, it's not a lot: if each of the approximately 215,000 Erfurt residents wanted to drink wine from Erfurt every year, they could look forward to around 0.0046 liters. That's a far cry from the usual 0.2 liter measure for a glass of wine.

In the Middle Ages the supply situation in this area was much better. This is due to the area under cultivation then and now. This shrinks over the centuries from 2000 hectares to 0.2 hectares. However, this area represents an improvement compared to 1990, when there were no vineyards in the city area.

We have the “Erfurter Weinzunft” to thank for this, an association that takes care of Erfurt’s only vineyard on a voluntary basis. This is located on Petersberg. In order to have around 1,200 bottles of wine bottled at the end of the year, we work almost all year round. The vines are pruned several times a year. This begins in January or February and must be repeated in the summer. Until then, the soil will be loosened, the grass mowed and the growth of the plants directed in the right direction. Club members like Uschi Koch and Dorothea Zölitz know their stuff:

The members of the wine guild meet twice a month. During the harvest in October, a number of hours of work have already been done, but it's not over yet: the grapes are pressed and stored in large barrels for fermentation.

This all happens on the Petersberg. Only the bottling takes place in Bad Sulza. Afterwards, white wines of the Riesling, Müller Thurgau and Silvaner varieties are returned to Erfurt with labels. Just like the red “Benedictus Cuvée”, which is made from the Portuguese and Dornfelder grape varieties. So after constant work you can enjoy some good wine at the Petersberg in Erfurt.

By the way: If you are interested in wine and Erfurt, you are welcome to stop by the Erfurt Wine Guild on Petersberg.