GG Sonnenstück

Something I missed recently:

Weingut Blankenhorn, from Schliengen, Markgräflerland, have released their first ever Grosses Gewächs (grand cru) bottling: a 2007 Spätburgunder from the Schliengener Sonnenstück vineyard. As yet, there is no mention of this vineyard in the official list of Baden "GGs" on the VDP website, although I expect this will change. As VDP members located south of Freiburg are limited to Blankenhorn in Schliengen, Lämmlin-Schindler from Mauchen (joined in 2006) and Schlumberger in Laufen (joined in 2006), it's not that surprising that Markgräflerland is somewhat under-represented in terms of official GG terroir. Potential grand cru vineyards in the region might also include Weiler Schlipf, Ötlinger Sonnhole, Efringer Ölberg or the steep, south-facing parcels of Blansinger Wolfer - and that's just from Basel up to Schliengen, barely halfway to Freiburg.

Maybe if wineries like Schneider from Weil or Ziereisen from Efringen-Kirchen joined the VDP, the terroir down here would get the recognition it deserves. But on the flip side, prices might then shoot up.