Viniculture in Liechtenstein dates back just over two thousand years. Growing began before Christ by a
Celtic tribe that had settled in the area, and during
Roman times production increased. After the Romans had been driven out of the area by the
Alamanni, production virtually ceased, until the growth of Christianity in the 4th century, when monks encouraged the establishment of new vineyards. During the rule of
Charlemagne (742–814), many of the municipalities and monasteries possessed their own vineyards. This time the vineyards surrounding
Gutenberg Castle yielded some three thousand gallons of wine a year. Charlemagne did much to alter the method of production, strongly encouraging better hygiene and pressing of the grapes by making it practice for the wine pressers to wash their feet although he was met with considerable opposition. The grape,
Blauburgunder or
Pinot noir, was introduced by
Henri, duc de Rohan (1579–1638) who strongly encouraged the farmers of the
Bündner Herrschaft to cultivate it. During the latter half of the 19th century, wine was one of Liechtenstein's two main exports, alongside cattle. The wine industry in Liechtenstein reached an all-time peak in 1871 when were designated for wine production. After this point however, the opening of the
Arlberg railway saw an increase in foreign competition and in the first half of the 20th century bad harvests and
parasites caused the wine industry collapse. Attempts by the government to sustain the industry by introducing compulsory crop spraying after 1890 failed. However, although the industry had declined significantly, viniculture was still important enough in
Vaduz that its coat of arms, established on 31 July 1932, pictured bunches of grapes. Since the 1970s there has been a regrowth of viniculture, but as of 2008 only is under cultivation. Today, the most popular white wines are
Chardonnay,
Riesling x Sylvaner, and
Gewürztraminer, while red wines most produced are
Blauburgunder,
Zweigelt, and
Blaufränkisch. The highest vineyard in the country is the
Walser village of
Triesenberg at 850 meters (2800 ft), which has seen some successful experimental growth of the French
Léon Millot grape variety. Other notable brands are the Zweigelt Selektion Karlsberg Profundo and the FL Premier Brut 1996, a vintage sparkling wine,
pressed from Rhine Riesling grapes. Several places in the country have
wine tasting venues. Most notable is the "Hofkellerei des regierenden Fürsten von Liechtenstein", the wine cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein. ==References==