Wine from the "Valley of the Monkey"
Our Affentaler vines are part of the stunning landscape of the Black Forest as it rises up from the Rhine Plain. While the nearby mountains soar to over 1000 meters, our vines thrive between 150-300 meters above sea level. The mild and sunny climate, warm, weathered granite and fertile loess soils all strongly influence the character of the wines. Our vineyards belong to the city of Bühl, due south of Baden-Baden and only 15 km away from the Rhine River and the French border. This kind of situation naturally fosters cross-cultural exchange. And that is how the first Pinot Noir vines came to us back in the Middle Ages — from the parent Cistercian monastery in Arbois, France (in the Jura winegrowing region). Affentaler Pinot Noir counts among the oldest and the best known of all German red wines. And as has been the case for centuries, Riesling remains the second most common variety in the Affental.
The exceptional quality of the wine in our Monkey Bottles directly reflects the quality of the grapes used to produce it. And exceptional fruit can only be achieved with exceptional vineyards. In this case those of our member winegrowers cultivated according to the directives of our cellarmaster. Each bottle promises the bounty of a high-quality harvest and wines with distinctly fruity aromas. On the palate, they are balanced, concentrated, and always long, delightful and delicious in the finish. The Monkey's charms pairs nicely with many different dishes like chicken, beef, game and even some fish dishes, not to mention classic German fare, as well as the savory, spicy and sweet and sour nuances of many Asian cuisines.
The genesis of today's Affentaler Winzer eG stretches back to the 1908 founding of the Naturweinbauverein Affental. We are among the oldest vintners' associations in Germany. At that time, the winegrowers cultivated only Pinot Noir, selling it exclusively to restaurants and inns. Over the last few decades, our Affentaler wines in the striking Monkey Bottle have secured a fixed spot in any wine shop’s shelves. Riesling has joined Pinot Noir as a second, crucial pillar of our program.
Today our winegrowers cultivate more than 240 ha under vine. Our location in the foothills of the Black Forest, with its notable weathered granite and loess soils, lends our wines a truly special and distinctive character. Our winegrowers also undertake intensive vineyard management throughout the year, from the winter pruning through harvest. Cellarmaster Leo Klär and his team have the final say on which fruit passes his strict quality standards. All aspects of the agricultural process are subject to rigorous inspection and selection in the vineyard. Each vintage presents us with a new challenge and chance to make first-class regional and varietal wines.
Find your nearest stockist
Over decades, our monkey bottle has inspired wine lovers across the world. Due to different legislation for selling wine please click the flag of your respective country to find your nearest stockist of our wine.
Come along and discover for yourself our lovely wines that reflect the sunny and warm Southwest of Germany with its unspoiled countryside and the natural wilderness of the Black Forest. Located at the foothills of the Black Forest nearby the famous spa town of Baden-Baden we welcome visitors to our winery all year round. Drop into our wine shop and enjoy a wine tasting or take part in a cellar- or vineyard tour.