Location and wine region
Jena lies in the middle Saale valley in Thuringia and belongs to the wine-growing region Saale-Unstrut. The town is situated in a river valley between Muschelkalk and Bunter sandstone slopes. The Jenaer Käuzchenberg in Zwätzen and the Jenaer Grafenberg in Kunitz are officially registered.
Climate and terrain
Jena is located in a comparatively warm and dry south-eastern German basin and hilly-country climate. For the stated area of the town, a mean annual temperature of around 8.9 to 10.3 °C is given. The side valleys and the Saale valley carry nocturnal flows of cold air, following the terrain and ventilating adjacent areas.
The Saale-Unstrut region has warm, dry summers, cold winters, around 1,600 hours of sunshine and about 500 mm of annual precipitation. Winter and spring frosts are among the important risks in viticulture. At the Käuzchenberg, the vineyard site facing north and south is about 35 percent sloped; Muschelkalk terraces regulate water availability and store solar warmth.
History and cultivation
Viticulture in the Jena area has been documented for more than 800 years. The present-day Käuzchenberg was laid out between 1926 and 1928 for the Faculty of Agriculture of Friedrich Schiller University Jena and used as a university teaching and experimental site until 1953. After it was abandoned in 1963, it was replanted from 1976 and took up production again in 1981.
The Käuzchenberg is cultivated by Weinberg Zwätzen e.V. with 17 participating winegrowers. The harvest takes place promptly; the grapes are taken straight to processing. A preliminary selection and the repeated removal of unsuitable grapes are used to ensure quality in difficult years.
Grape varieties and styles of wine
At the Käuzchenberg, Müller-Thurgau, Weißburgunder, Blauer Portugieser and Dornfelder are planted. Müller-Thurgau is described as light and fruity, with a hint of muscat, while Weißburgunder is described as fruity, full-bodied and lively. Blauer Portugieser is generally light, moderately intense in colour and fresh in acidity, whereas Dornfelder turns out dark red, fruity and full-bodied.
The white grapes are harvested, pressed and bottled one after the other. The red varieties are harvested together and processed into a cuvée as a blended must.
