| Maienfeld
The entire region is nicknamed "Heidiland", because it was in Maienfeld that the Swiss writer Johanna Spyri located the home of Heidi, the little orphan girl who became a world star and archetypal Swiss girl of yesteryear... This children's book, written in 1880, became not only a bestseller but also one of the most famous works of Swiss literature. No wonder the region's tourist offices are banking on Heidi to attract people! To tell the truth, it is a myth that leaves us cold... The beauty of the village and the landscapes, and the quality of the wines produced here, are more than enough to make us happy! In fact, Johanna Spyri's character lived on an alpine pasture well above Maienfeld, a Grisons village that is only 518m above sea level and whose primary source of income is wine growing. The wine-growing area of the "Maienfelder" represents more than a quarter of that of the entire canton of Graubünden! Maienfeld is located in the very north of Graubünden, on the right bank of the Rhine. On the other side of the river is Bad Ragaz, in the very south of the canton of St. Gallen. Here we are at the beginning of the Rhine plain, just outside the Alps, and the climate is ideal for vineyards. This is the Herrschaft wine region, which grows mainly pinot noir (almost 90% of the Rheintal's production) and riesling x sylvaner, but also a rare indigenous grape variety, Completer, which produces an aromatic white wine. |
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