A wine journey through Germany's idyllic Durbach valley

The picturesque Durbach valley lies between the Vosges in France and the Black Forest in Germany. Viticulture has been documented here since the 14th century. The mild climate — with some 1,700 hours of sunshine a year — and the skills of local winemakers allow top wines to mature.

The 2020 vintage will be a good one, say winemakers in the region, featuring both good quantities and good quality. Local winemakers, like these in Plauelsrain in the Durbach valley, compensate for the lack of water in the increasingly dry summer with sophisticated irrigation systems.

The grape harvest is laborious manual work on steep slopes. Everyone in the winemaking families has to pitch in to make it happen. But without harvest helpers, the winemakers would be lost. The helpers in this region often come from Romania, and often they live with the winemaking families during this time.

Klingelberger and Pinot Noir are just two of the many grape varieties that grow in the Durbach valley. Klingelberger is the place name for Riesling grapes, which often have small, dark sprouts on the fruit. Over 80% of Durbach's wines grow on rocky, weathered granite soils. Because of the many gold medals, Durbach is also called the "golden wine village."

The Durbach valley and the Baden wine route are not only known for good wines, but also for excellent gastronomy with regional products. Culinary connoisseur trails lead through vineyards, orchards and forests, past palaces and castles. You can stop off in rustic wine taverns as well as in luxury restaurants.

In the vineyards of the Durbach valley, it is a common to see families and friends out enjoying a snack in the open air. Businesses also hold company outings, complete with cheese, sausage, bread and a good bottle of wine from a local winegrower.

The Durbach region is a cyclist's paradise. Numerous routes are available for cycling enthusiasts and active vacationers, including the Baden Wine Cycle Path or the western route of the German half-timbered road. A bicycle with an electric assist motor is recommended for the large differences in altitude.

A visit to one of the often spectacular tasting rooms, such as here in the "Cathedral of Wine," the VinoToRium of Oberkircher Winzer, is an essential part of a trip to the Baden wine region. The scent of wine often wafts through the rooms due to the full barrels stocked all around. Over 100 wines and brandies can be tasted here.

Many wineries — including Alde Gott, which produces the wine shown here — are organized as cooperatives. The Black Forest Cooperative has 380 members, from hobby winemakers to large family businesses. These mean equipment for wine care, grape harvesting and winemaking does not have to be purchased separately; they are common property. The winegrowers' cooperatives produce award-winning top wines.

If you think you've seen and experienced everything in the Durbach valley and on the Baden wine route, then neighboring France is not far. In good weather, you can even see Strasbourg Cathedral from the heights. From Durbach it is only 27 kilometers (16.8 miles) to the Alsatian metropolis that also offers a wealth of good wines and cuisine.