Golf & wine & asparagus galore
Anyone driving into the Markgräflerland region now will feel like "God in France" in view of the abundance of delicacies that beguile the senses from the roadside: Asparagus and strawberry fields, vines as far as the eye can see and medieval towns in between that invite you to sample the fine wines. If you fancy a round of golf, you'll be spoiled for choice, as six courses invite you to play a cross-border game. The Landhotel Bohrerhof in Hartheim has put together a gourmet package that leaves nothing to be desired.
A flying visit to the border triangle of Baden-Württemberg
"Paradiesgärtlein" Markgräflerland
No one has measured exactly where this piece of "paradise" begins and how far it extends. Roughly speaking, it lies in the border triangle between Freiburg, Basel and Alsace and borders the southern Black Forest. According to its name, it was the margraves of Baden who made this region famous as early as the 15th century. Today, it is above all the lovely, slightly hilly landscape and the hidden, tranquil winegrowing villages where one of the oldest wines is served - Gutedel. History tells us that it was introduced to the Markgräflerland region from Lake Geneva over 200 years ago by Margrave Friedrich of Baden and from then on began its career as a light, highly digestible white wine known as "Markgräfler". In the spring months in particular, it becomes the star of the show at various wine festivals, winegrowers' hocks, culinary wine walks and at the 100 events on offer here until the end of June. Finally, the Baden Wine Route is celebrating its 70th anniversary, which is also an incentive to visit. And, of course, to taste all the grape varieties that ripen here: From Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Müller-Thurgau to Pinot Noir wines. They all thrive here thanks to the mild winds, which allow the fruit trees and gardens to blossom earlier than elsewhere. No wonder the locals here are more cheerful and relaxed than elsewhere - especially in the wine villages from Bad Bellingen to Efringen-Kirchen, Ballrechten, Dottingen to Auggen. Whether you explore them on foot, by bike or by car, you will also be delighted by the variety of culinary delights from the three countries - from Bibeleskäs with roast potatoes to Alsatian-style tarte flambée and local asparagus.
Golf & enjoyment in the Markgräflerland
If you decide to play golf in the border triangle of Basel, Mulhouse and Freiburg, you have around 22 options to choose from. In the Markgräflerland region, we discovered 6 18-hole courses, which means you're spoiled for choice on a weekend trip. In the end, however, the culinary experience influenced our decision: the Landhotel Bohrerhof, in the middle of the asparagus region of Hartheim, not only offered us the most pleasant accommodation, an unforgettable asparagus experience and two relaxing rounds of golf on the two 18-hole courses Tuniberg and Golf du Rhin.
We reached the former in 15 minutes and were greeted by a stork heading for its nest as soon as we arrived. Thanks to the many biotopes, there is plenty of wildlife to observe here - from swans. Pheasants and melodious birdsong. Countless plant species and a meadow orchard testify to the good landscape management of the site, which extends over 90 hectares. The fact that the course also has some pitfalls should be mentioned here, especially for golf rookies: doglegs block the view of the green and are lined with tall trees, while the approach to the green is often narrow and the green itself is framed by bunkers. Nevertheless, pars and birdies are still possible with straight shots and the necessary strategy. Incidentally, the Tuniberg with its vines is omnipresent and makes you want to enjoy a glass afterwards. The "tunigarden" restaurant serves delicious tarte flambée and other treasures from the kitchen.
The second golf course, "Golf du Rhin", is located in neighboring France on a Channel Island in a nature reserve and can be proud of its sustainability certificate. Opened in 1969 and designed by star architect Donald Harradine, it is particularly impressive due to its old tree population, which is hard to beat in terms of diversity. As a result, the fairways are usually narrow and require a precise game.
Asparagus galore and the variety of country cuisine
What would the village of Hartheim be without the Bohrerhof, you ask yourself when you arrive here. The first thing you notice is the restaurant, designed entirely in white and green, which was packed at the weekend. Right next to it is the new hotel, designed in different shades of green, with a parking lot in between, which, due to its size, also signals the rush of visitors. Most of them come for the good food and the country market, which really does fulfill every wish and is very busy, especially at the weekend. Behind the market are the treasure troves of asparagus, zucchinis, pumpkins, chicory, lamb's lettuce and, more recently, strawberries, grown on 200 hectares of the farm's own land. "Farm to table" - from the field directly to the table - is the slogan of the Bohrer family, who run the family business with 50 employees. They consistently focus on sustainability. Sebastian Bohrer explains this during a tour of the hotel and farm, which once again reveals the concept of the Bohrerhof: The use of local woods, such as fir and spruce from the neighboring Black Forest, a solar-powered photovoltaic system for gastronomy, hotel, agriculture and later also for the bathhouse and a self-sufficient heating and cooling system. The seasonal produce from the farm goes directly into the 200-seat farm restaurant and the bread and baked goods, cakes and tarts come from the farm's own bakery and patisserie. A harmonious and holistic concept of agriculture, country market, country cuisine and country hotel. Last but not least, the 64 rooms impress with their size, balcony and views as far as the Kaiserstuhl. Another eye-catcher in the near future will be the new garden area with a natural dyke behind the hotel and the planned pool as a relaxation zone after a golf or cycling tour. These are already available for use in a separate building. The best recommendation for a flying visit on the way to the border triangle, as the hotel is located right next to the highway and the restaurant serves asparagus in all variations under the motto "real - honest - hearty". The wine accompaniment is provided by Weingut Heinemann from Scherzingen, whose 2018 "Selection SL Alte Reben" Scherzingen Batzenberg Chardonnay trocken" was awarded 94 points by Fallstaff. A wine tasting in the 400-year-old wine cellar is therefore one of the Bohrerhof's explicit recommendations, which we are only too happy to follow.
Further information:
www.markgraefler.de www.bohrerhof.de www.weingut-heinemann.de www.golfclub-tuniberg.de www.golfdurhin.com
Text & photos: Elsa Honecker
