Burrweiler is a wine-growing village in Pfalz, Germany, known for producing high-quality Riesling and small quantities of world-class Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), particularly those made from its two Grosse Lage vineyard sites. An archetypal Burrweiler wine is a fresh, mineral-tinged Riesling with a little more citrus (lime and even mandarin) than is found in Riesling from other Pfalz villages.
Burrweiler and its vineyards enjoy a drier, warmer climate than that found to the north and east, thanks to the rain shadow cast by the low-lying mountains (the Haardt range) above. The range, which is effectively a northern continuation of the Vosges of neighboring Alsace, offers protection from the cold weather that would otherwise move in on the prevailing westerly wind.
Immediately above Burrweiler rises the Teufelberg (Devil’s Mountain). About halfway up this is the Annakapelle, a historic 16th-Century chapel dedicated to St. Anne which commands magnificent views right over Burrweiler and southwards towards Birkweiler, Siebeldingen and Godramstein. On the slopes below lies Burrweiler's top-rated Schäwer vineyard. This crescent-shaped, south-facing vineyard is characterized by Devonian slate and the pronounced minerality found in the Riesling grown here.
South of the village, clearly visible from the Annakapelle, is the larger Schlossgarten site. At its western edge lies a four-acre (1.6-ha) square, known as 'Im Goldenen Jost', which is officially classified as a Grosse Lage. The high limestone content of the sandy loam soil is particularly favorable for growing high-quality Riesling and Pinot Noir, as well as small quantities of Pinot Blanc.
In addition to wine-growing, tourism is also an important part of Burrweiler's economy. Wine tourism is significant here, although less so than in the villages further north in Pfalz (particularly Bad Durkheim), and there is of course significant interest in the Annaberg area, not just for the chapel but also the hill itself and its commanding views of the Upper Rhine Plain. Eco-tourism is also a growing concern here, particularly since the creation of the Haardtrand–Annaberg Nature Reserve.
