A short history outline

The wine growing area in Meissen is one of the youngest ones in Europe.

Good conditions for the growing of grapes are the weathering soils round the Elbe which base on different kinds of granite. The climate is mild and steady.

In the second half of the 12^th century was the first written mentioning of a vineyard in Meissen. Until the middle of 14^th century the vineyards expanded on the slopes along the Elbe and the creek Triebisch. To the first vineyards in Meissen belonged the „Crassoberg” and the „Ratsweinberg”.

Downriver the farmers planted their grapes in Proschwitz, Rottewitz, Diera and Diesbar-Seusslitz. Upriver vineyards in the Spaargebirge, at the Bosel, in Oberau, Weinboehla to Oberloessnitz were created. These vineyards still exist and were formed to steep slopes and terraces.

In 1588 the first vineyard enforcement came into effect. This enforcement contained all 23 works the wine-growers had to do in this time. A big setback was the Thirty Years’ War. Many vineyards were destroyed or deserted. With much hard work and every imaginable effort the vineyards were reconstructed.

In 1799 the Saxon Wine Growing Society was founded, which was the first in Europe. In 1811 the first European wine- and wine-growers-school started its work in Fuerstenberg.

The 19^th century brought lots of problems for the wine-growers. Diseases like the real and the false mildew and later the vine pest destroyed 55 hectars of the wine growing area. In 1905 the reconstruction started.

In 1838 the Saxon Wine Growing Cooperative was founded in Meissen.

After World War II the majority of the wine growing area became state-owned or municipal property. Private winegrowing still existed in so called „farmer vineyards”.

In 1990 the Wine Growing Association Saxony was founded again, private vineyards came into being again. At the Saxon Wine Street lots of comfortable wine bars and Swabian vineyard’s invite to rest. The highlight of every year is the Meissen Wine Festival in September.