Franconia/Franken

The growing region lies on the northern edge of the Free State of Bavaria in Germany and is crossed by the River Main in a large W-shape. A special feature is that the Bavarian vineyards on Lake Constance around Lindau belong to the Württemberg wine-growing region. The Franconian vineyards cover 6,130 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located between Aschaffenburg and Schweinfurt in Lower Franconia. All the vineyards are planted on south-facing valley slopes on the banks of the Main or in side valleys of its tributaries (Regnitz, Saale, Tauber).

History

It is an ancient wine-growing region, as evidenced by a deed of gift from 777 to the monastery of Fulda, to which the royal estate of Hammelburg with eight vineyards (Saaleck Castle with Schlossberg) was granted. A description of the area between Randersacker and Würzburg dated 14 October 779 is documented by Emperor Charlemagne (742-814).

The centre of Franconia is not only the baroque city of Würzburg from a viticultural point of view, where one of the most famous German single vineyards, the "Würzburger Stein", is located. Johann W. von Goethe (1749-1832) favoured this wine. In his "Götz von Berlichingen", he has Maria, the sister of Götz, exclaim "Franconia is a blessed land!" A common saying in the Middle Ages was "Franconian wine is sick wine". The writer Kurt Tucholsky (1890-1935) described Franconian wine as "deep and pure like the sound of a bell".

Modern times

Over 40% of wines are bottled in Bocksbeutel. This type of bottle is legally protected for Franconian quality wines and a wine route is named after it. The vineyard owner Sebastian Englerth (1804-1880) was an important Franconian winegrowing pioneer. The climate is continental with dry, warm summers and cold winters.

Areas, municipalities and vineyards

Franconia used to be divided into the three areas of Maindreieck, Mainviereck and Steigerwald with 23 large vineyards and 216 individual vineyards. In November 2011, the members of the Franconian Winegrowers' Association decided on a new system. The three old areas will be replaced by 12 much smaller ones. These will also replace the 23 large vineyards in the medium to long term. The old areas once played a role in the predominant marketing of Franconian table wine, but had lost this role some time ago. The 12 new areas correspond to the PDO wine designation (protected designation of origin), which has been in force since 2009:

Abt Degen Weintal

The area named after Alberich Degen (1625-1686), the abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Ebrach, lies between Haßfurt and Bamberg in the north-east of the Steigerwald and on the southern edge of the Haßberge. The vineyards cover 115 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Bamberg: Alter Graben, Michaelsberg
• Eltmann: Schlossleite
• Haßfurt: Henneberg
• Knetzgau-Oberschwappach: Sommertal
• Krum: Himmelreich
• Sand am Main: Himmelsbühl, Kronberg
• Schmachtenberg: Eulenberg
• Staffelbach: Spitzelberg
• Steinbach: Nonnenberg
• Unfinden: Kinnleitenberg
• Unterhaid: Röthla
• Weiher: Vineyards
• Zeil am Main: Mönchshang, Pfarrerspflöckn
• Ziegelanger: Ölschnabel

Alzenau wine region

The Alzenau wine region comprises the vineyards of the town of Aschaffenburg including the districts of Damm and Obernau, the town of Alzenau including the districts of Hörstein, Wasserlos, Michelbach and Dörsthofe, and the market town of Hösbach including the district of Rottenberg. The vineyards cover 90 hectares of vineyards. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Aschaffenburg: Badberg, Godelsberg, Pompejaner
• Hörstein: Abtsberg, Reuschberg (Großlage)
• Dorsthöfe: Aloisengarten
• Michelbach: Aloisengarten, Apostelgarten, Steinberg
• Obernau: Sanderberg
• Rottenberg: Gräfenstein
• Wasserlos: Lohmännchen, Schlossberg

Churfranken

The Churfranken region stretches along the River Main, from Großostheim in the north to Weilbach in the south, and from Großostheim in the west to Dorfprozelten in the east. The vineyards cover 255 hectares of vineyards. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Bürgstadt: Centgrafenberg, Hundsrück, Mainhölle
• Dorfprozelten: Predigtstuhl
• Engelberg: Klostergarten
• Erlenbach am Main: Hochberg
• Großheubach: Bischofsberg, Mainhölle, Steingrübler
• Großostheim: Harstell, Reischklingeberg
• Großwallstadt: Lützeltalerberg
• Klingenberg am Main: Einsiedel, Hochberg, Schlossberg
• Miltenberg: Steingrübler
• Mömlingen: Orlis
• Röllbach: Deutschordensberg
• Rück: Jesuitenberg, Johannisberg, Schalk
• Wörth am Main: Campestres, Galgenbuckel

Franconia's Saalestück

The area stretches along the Franconian Saale with the town of Hammelburg and its districts in the centre from Obererthal (north) to Hammelburg (south) and from Obereschenbach (west) to Ramsthal (east). The vineyards cover 155 hectares. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Elfershausen: Schlossberg
• Engenthal: Schlossberg
• Feuerthal: Altenberg, Kreuz
• Fuchsstadt: Rubenhöll
• Hammelburg: Altenberg, Heroldsberg, Trautlestal
• Machtilshausen: Sommerleite
• Ramsthal: St Klausen
• Saaleck: Schlossberg
• Sulzthal: Schlangenberg, St. Klausen
• Westheim: Altenberg, Längberg
• Wirmsthal: Scheinberg

Main Himmelreich

The Main Himmelreich area stretches from Marktheidenfeld in the north to Neubrunn, Böttigheim district, in the south and from Kreuzwertheim in the west to Uettingen in the east. The vineyards cover 125 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Böttigheim: Wurmberg
• Erlenbach near Marktheidenfeld: Krähenschnabel
• Homburg am Main: Edelfrau, Kallmuth
• Kreuzwertheim: Kaffelstein
• Lengfurt: Alter Berg, Oberrot
• Marktheidenfeld: Kreuzberg
• Remlingen: Krähenschnabel, Sonnenhain
• Uettingen: Kirchberg

Main South

The Main South area can be described as a triangle with the corner points of Würzburg, Frickenhausen am Main and Mainstockheim. It also includes the areas along the Tauber. The vineyards cover over 1,300 hectares of vineyards. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Albertshofen: Hergottsweg
• Aub: Lämmerberg
• Buchbrunn: Heißer Stein
• Eibelstadt: Mönchsleite, Kapellenberg, Steinbach
• Frickenhausen: Fischer, Kapellenberg
• Gerbrunn: Hummelberg
• Kitzingen: Eherieder Berg, Eselsberg, Wilhelmsberg
• Kleinochsenfurt: Herrenberg
• Mainstockheim: Berg-Rondell, Hofstück
• Marktbreit: Sonnenberg
• Martinsheim: Langenstein
• Obernbreit: Pulpit
• Randersacker: Dabug, Lämmerberg, Marsberg, Pfülben, Sonnenstuhl, Teufelskeller
• Repperndorf: Kaiser Karl
• Röttingen: Feuerstein
• Segnitz: Pfaffensteig, Zobelsberg
• Sickershausen: Storchenbrünnle
• Sommerhausen: Reifenstein, Steinbach
• Sulzfeld am Main: Cyriakusberg (with Berg I), Maustal, Sonnenberg
• Tauberrettersheim: Königin
• Theilheim: Altenberg
• Winterhausen: Kaiser Wilhelm
• WürzburgAbtsleite, Festungsblick, Innere Leiste, Pfaffenberg, Schlossberg, Stein (with Stein-Harfe)
• Würzburg-Heidingsfeld: Kirchberg

Middle Franconian Bocksbeutelstraße

The Mittelfränische Bocksbeutelstraße area stretches from Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the south to Neundorf in the north and from Tauberzell in the west to Dietersheim in the east. The vineyards cover over 200 hectares. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Bad Windsheim: Rosenberg
• Ergersheim: Altenberg
• Ickelheim: Schlosberg
• Ingolstadt: Rotenberg
• Ipsheim: Hoheneck Castle
• Krassolzheim: Pfaffenberg
• Markt-Nordheim: Hohenkottenheim
• Neundorf: Hüßberg, Mönchsbuck, Sonneberg, Wonne, Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Eich
• Tauberzell: Hasennestle
• Ulsenheim: Huttenberg
• Weimersheim: Roter Berg

Mittelmain

The Mittelmain region stretches along the River Main from Gemünden am Main in the north to Veitshöchheim in the south, with the westernmost extension near Greußenheim and the easternmost near Arnstein. The vineyards cover 760 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Adelsberg: Wernleite
• Erlabrunn: Weinsteig
• Eußenheim: First
• Gambach: Kalbenstein
• Gemünden am Main: Scherenberg
• Gössenheim: Homburg
• Greußenheim: Geisberg
• Güntersleben: Sommerstuhl
• Halsheim: Bischofsberg
• Heugrumbach: Bischofsberg
• Himmelstadt: Kelter
• Karlstadt: Im Stein
• Laudenbach: Castle
• Leinach: Himmelberg
• Margetshöchheim: Bärental
• Müdesheim: Bischofsberg
• Mühlbach: Fronberg
• Oberleinach: Himmelberg, Weinsteig
• Retzbach: Benediktusberg
• Retzstadt: Langenberg (with vineyards Der Schäfer and Himmelspfad)
• Reuchelheim: Bischofsberg
• Rimpar: Kobersberg
• Stetten: Stein
• Thüngersheim: Johannisberg( Rothlauf vineyard ), Scharlachberg
• Veitshöchheim: Sonnenschein, Wölflein
• Wiesenfeld: Herbstthal
• Zellingen: Sonnleite

Schwanberger Land

The Schwamberger Land area is bordered by Tiefenstockheim (SW), Mainbernheim, Rödelsee, Großlangheim, Kleinlangheim (NW), Rüdenhausen, Abtswind (NE), Castell districts Greuth and Markt Einersheim (SE). Within this area are the town of Iphofen including the district of Possenheim and the municipalities of Castell and Wiesenbronn. The vineyards cover 735 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Abtswind: Altenberg
• Castell: Feuerbach, Hohnart, Kirchberg, Kugelspiel, Reitsteig, Schlossberg, Trautberg
• Greuth: Bastel
• Großlangheim: Kiliansberg, Schwanleite
• Iphofen: Domherr, Julius-Echter-Berg, Kalb, Kronsberg (with Gewann Kammer), Mönchshütte
• Kleinlangheim: Wutschenberg
• Mainbernheim: Dornberg
• Markt Einersheim: Stüblein, Vogelsang
• Rödelsee: Küchenmeister, Schwanleite
• Tiefenstockheim: Stiefel
• Wiesenbronn: Geißberg, Heller Berg, Wachhügel

Volkacher Mainschleife

The Volkacher Mainschleife area begins in the south at Dettelbach, includes the "wine island" with the municipalities of Nordheim am Main and Sommerach and ends in the north at the municipality of Wipfeld. The vineyards cover around 2,000 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Astheim: Karthäuser
• Bergtheim: Harfenspiel
• Dettelbach: Berg-Rondell, Sonnenleite
• Escherndorf: Berg, Fürstenberg, Lump
• Frankenwinheim: Rosenberg
• Gaiberg: Kapellenberg, castle park
• Hallburg: Kreuzberg, Rosenberg, Schlossberg
• Krautheim: Sonnenleite
• Lindach: Kreuzpfad
• Mainberg: Schlossberg
• Neuses am Berg: Glatzen
• Nordheim: Kreuzberg, Vögelein
• Obereisenheim: Höll
• Obervolkach: Landsknecht
• Rimberg: Landsknecht
• Schwanfeld: Mühlberg
• Schwarzenau: Rosengarten
• Schweinfurt: Mainleite, Peterstirn
• Sommerach: Katzenkopf, Rosenberg
• Stammheim: Eselsberg
• Untereisenheim: Berg, Sonnenberg
• Vogelsburg: Gate
• Volkach: Karthäuser, Ratsherr
• Waigolshausen (OT Theilheim): Mainleite
• Wipfeld: tithe count
• Zeilitzheim: Heiligenberg

Steigerwald wine panorama

The southernmost town in the Steigerwald wine panorama area is Prichsenstadt, the northernmost is Donnersdorf. The widest extension is at the level of Gerolzhofen (west) and Michelau im Steigerwald (east). The vineyards cover 250 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Altmannsdorf: Sonnenwinkel
• Dingolshausen: Köhler
• Falkenstein: Falkenberg
• Gerolzhofen: Arlesgarten, Köhler
• Handthal: Stollberg
• Kammerforst: Teufel
• Kirchschönbach: Mariengarten
• Michelau: Vollburg
• Mönchstockheim: Mönchberg
• Oberschwarzach: Herrenberg
• Prichsenstadt: Krone
• Wiebelsberg: Dachs

Wine paradise

The Weinparadies area is located on the western edge of the Steigerwald Nature Park. The vineyards cover around 285 hectares of vines. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

• Bullenheim: Paradies
• Hüttenheim: Tannenberg
• Ippesheim: Herrschaftsberg
• Seinsheim: Hohenbühl
• Weigenheim: Hohenlandsberg

List of grape varieties

There were no major changes compared to 2009. The proportion of red wine varieties has fallen slightly in line with the general trend. Although Müller-Thurgau, which was first planted here in Retzstadt in 1925, is still in first place, its share has fallen from 42% to 25% in the last 20 years. The second place of Grüner Silvaner, known as "Franconia's King", has remained unchanged. The status 2018 (0 = less than 0.5 ha):

Producers

Well-known producers in the Franconian wine-growing region are Arnold Wilhelm, Baldauf, Bernard Philip, Bickel-Stumpf, Blendel Michael, Bocksbeutel-Hof, Braun Heinz, Braun Waldemar, Brennfleck, Breunig, Brügel Harald, Bürgerspital, Burrlein, Dahms, Deppisch Johannes, DIVINO Nordheim Thüngersheim, Emmerich Werner, Erhard Walter, Felshof - Wenninger, Fendt Weinfamilie, Fischer Joachim, Fröhlich Clemens, Fröhlich Michael, Fürstlich Castell'sches Domänenamt, Fürst Löwenstein, Fürst Rudolf, Giegerich, Göbel Martin, Grebner - Der Patrizierhof, Gunther Harald, Hart Privat-Weingut, H. Deppisch, Hemberger Roland, Höfler Bernd, Höfling Klaus, Hofmann Alois, Hofmann Helmut & Bernd, Hofmann Mario, Ilmbacher Hof, Juliusspital, Krämer Hermann & Stephan, Kreglinger, Kremers Winzerhof, LandArt,

Leininger Walter, Lukas J. B. Schmidt, Max Müller I, May Rudolf, Meier Markus, Ottenbreit, Reiss Christian, Reus Florian, Römmert, Rothe Manfred, Roth Gerhard, Ruck Johann, Rudloff, Ruppert, Sauer Horst, Sauer Rainer, Schäffer Egon, Schloss Sommerhausen, Schmachtenberger Berthold, Schmitts Kinder, Schwab Thomas, Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg, Stahl Albrecht, Steinmann Artur, Steintal, Stich Gerhard, Störrlein, Stritzinger, Trockene Schmitts, Vetter Stefan, Walter Josef, Weigand, Weingut Am Lump, Weingut Am Stein, Weinmanufaktur 3 Zeilen, Wein von 3, Weltner Paul, Wengerter Rainer, Winzerfamilie Koch, Winzer Sommerach, Wirsching Hans, Wörners Schloss, Zang Otmar, Zehnthof Familie Luckert, Zehnthof Familie Weickert, Zehntkeller Iphofen and Zur Schwane. Around 80% of Bavarian winegrowers are organised in the Franconian Winegrowers' Ring. Frank & Frei is a large winegrowers' association with many member companies.

Map: DWI (German Wine Institute)
Main: By Lencer - own work, in Co-Operation with DieBuche, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Escherndorf: DWI (German Wine Institute )