Vineyards in the Rems-Murr district: fallow land and its future

Vineyards in the Rems-Murr district: fallow land and its future

In the middle of the picturesque wine landscapes of the Rems-Murr district you can see how more and more vineyards are lying fallow. According to a recent survey, around 49.5 hectares of vineyards are currently unused, while around 18.1 hectares are classified as “waste” - they have not been cleared, but are no longer cultivated. In June 2025, the wine register reported 1,196.6 hectares of vineyards, a decrease compared to the 1,264.2 hectares from 2019. This development raises questions, both for the winemakers and for the region as a whole. Where should the owners of fallow vineyards find help and what can be done about this trend?

Land consolidation, which has a long history in the Remstal, could be a key to reviving wine-growing culture. The first major vineyard consolidation began in Fellbach in 1952 and the last measures were completed at Bürger Schlossberg in Winnenden after almost 50 years. These long processes were accompanied by industrialization, which had a strong influence on viticulture. Historically, wine yields in this region were often ten times what they are today. Characteristic grape varieties with names like “Misery” or “Grobschwarz” were cultivated for mass production. The deliberate pressing of white and red grapes together as “Schiller” represented the time in which the focus was heavily on quantity.

Important land consolidation measures

Mechanization in viticulture, which has had a major influence since the 1950s, led to the need for land consolidation. These measures not only improve the cultivation conditions, but also ensure the sustainable use of the vineyards under often difficult topographical conditions. Advances from animal traction to modern four-wheel tractors and from manual cultivation to fully automatic planting techniques with laser beams are revolutionizing the field. Land consolidation not only offers technical solutions, but also contributes to the preservation of the historical cultural landscape.

In recent decades there has also been impressive progress in the restoration of water bodies and the promotion of biodiversity, which is supported by appropriate protective measures. This not only strengthens the region ecologically, but also promotes the tourism potential of the wine landscapes along the German Wine Route.

Development and participation

A land consolidation decision is usually the first step in helping a community of participants to start a new development process. This community, which also functions as a public corporation, brings together owners, authorities and organizations to discuss the future of the vineyards. Changes to affected properties can only be made with the consent of the land consolidation authority, which brings the issue of co-determination and participation into focus.

The challenges that winegrowers face illustrate the importance of integration and joint planning for sustainable agriculture. The question remains how the region wants to deal with the fallow vineyards and what measures can be taken to revitalize them.

Like the reporting from ZVW shows, the need for action is clear and the hope for a revival of viticulture in the region remains. Those too Stuttgart News emphasize the importance of land consolidation in order to overcome the challenges of viticulture in the long term. The Vitipendium also reminds us of how historically valuable and future-oriented viticulture in the region can be if the right measures support it.