The Basel-Solothurn wine region

The vineyards in Basel-Landschaft are spread across nine growing areas, covering 114 hectares, of which 64% are planted with red varieties. Viticulture in the region dates back to Roman times when wine was considered a staple food.

In Aesch, a thriving suburb of Basel, the Klus Valley is home to the canton’s largest contiguous vineyard area. Every year, the "Räbesunntig" wine festival takes place here on the last Sunday before the summer holidays, beginning with a vineyard church service held in a quarry. Around ten winemaking families open their doors to visitors, offering tastings of the new vintage alongside culinary specialties.

The vineyard on the Wartenberg in the Muttenz growing area is home to a botanical rarity: the Tulipa sylvestris, a wild yellow tulip that blooms in large numbers in early May and is now uncommon throughout Europe.

In Basel-Stadt, the vineyards span 4.7 hectares and are primarily located in Riehen. Red grape varieties make up 54% of the plantings.

From the 16th to 18th centuries, winegrowing was a significant reason for wealthy Basel residents to purchase estates in Riehen. By 1770, the vineyard area reached around 70 hectares, principally supplying the city of Basel with wine, then considered an essential item of their diet.

However, viticulture was seriously affected by plant and animal pests, rising production costs, the opportunity to earn higher wages  in industry and land loss due to construction. By the 20th century, the vineyard area had shrunk to just 0.4 hectares.

To preserve the cultural heritage, in 1979 the local council took the decision to establish a municipal vineyard in Schlipf. Since 2014, this small winery has been leased to private operators.

Numerous place and street names in Solothurn reflect the canton’s historical winemaking tradition. However, starting in 1900, viticulture was seriously affected first of all by phylloxera and  then by vine diseases such as powdery and downy mildew, introduced from America. These problems, combined with other factors, nearly eradicated winemaking in Solothurn.

By the 1970s, only a few old vines remained, often growing along the facades of farmhouses. Resistant hybrid vines or American grape varieties, locally known as "Chazeseicherli," were cultivated. While these grapes had a strong aroma, they were ideal for producing high-quality grappa.

Today, the canton of Solothurn has once more11.4 hectares of vineyards, with 61% planted with red grape varieties. The best known vineyard is located at the foot of Kyburg-Buchegg Castle, where over 1,000 vines now grow on land that has been used for viticulture since the Middle Ages. The villages in the Leimental region, with 4.2 hectares of vineyards, are the largest winegrowing area in the canton.