Franconia/Franken

The growing region lies on the northern edge of the state of Bavaria in Germany and is crossed by the Main river in a large W-shape. A special feature is that the Bavarian vineyards on Lake Constance around Lindau belong to the Württemberg growing region. The vineyards cover 6,130 hectares, most of which stretch between Aschaffenburg and Schweinfurt. All are planted on south-facing valley slopes on the banks of the Main River or in side valleys of its tributaries. It is an ancient wine-growing region, as evidenced by a deed of gift from 777 to the Fulda monastery, to which the royal estate of Hammelburg with eight vineyards (Schloss Saaleck with Schlossberg) was assigned. Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) documented a description of the area between Randersacker and Würzburg on 14 October 779.

The centre of Franconia, not only from a viticultural point of view, is the baroque city of Würzburg, where one of the most famous German single vineyards, the "Würzburger Stein", is located. A common saying in the Middle Ages was "Franconian wine is sick wine". The writer Kurt Tucholsky (1890-1935) found Franconian wine to be "deep and pure as the sound of a bell". The climate is continental with dry, warm summers and cold winters. Over 40% of the wines are bottled in Bocksbeutel. This bottle shape is legally protected for Franconian quality wines and a wine route is named after it. An important Franconian winegrowing pioneer was the vineyard owner Sebastian Englerth (1804-1880).

Areas, communities 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 arrangement. 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 they had lost that role some time ago. The 12 new areas correspond mutatis mutandis to the PDO wine designation (protected designation of origin) that has been valid since 2009:

Abbot Degen Wine Valley
The area named after Alberich Degen (1625-1686), the abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Ebrach, is located 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 area comprises the vineyards of the town of Aschaffenburg incl. OT Damm and OT Obernau, the town of Alzenau incl. OT Hörstein, OT Wasserlos, OT Michelbach and OT Dörsthofe, the market town of Hösbach incl. OT Rottenberg. The vineyards cover 90 hectares. 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 area stretches along the Main River, 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 vines. 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 on the Main: Einsiedel, Hochberg, Schlossberg
• Miltenberg: Steingrübler
• Mömlingen: Orlis
• Röllbach: Deutschordensberg
• Rück: Jesuitenberg, Johannisberg, Schalk
• Wörth am Main: Campestres, Galgenbuckel

Frankens Saalestück
The area of Frankens Saalestück stretches along the Franconian Saale with the town of Hammelburg and its districts at its centre. It extends 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. Klaus en
• Westheim: Altenberg, Längberg
• Wirmsthal: Scheinberg

Main Himmelreich
The area extends from Marktheidenfeld in the north to Neubrunn, OT Böttigheim, 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 (Crow's Beak)
• Homburg am Main: Edelfrau, Kallmuth
• Kreuzwertheim: Kaffelstein
• Lengfurt: Alter Berg, Oberrot
• Marktheidenfeld: Kreuzberg
• Remlingen: Krähenschnabel, Sonnenhain
• Uettingen: Kirchberg

Main South
The area can be described as a triangle with the corner points Würzburg, Frickenhausen am Main and Mainstockheim. It also includes the areas along the Tauber river. The vineyards cover over 1,300 hectares of vines. 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: Emperor Karl
• Röttingen: Feuerstein
• Segnitz: Pfaffensteig, Zobelsberg
• Sickershausen: Stork's well
• Sommerhausen: Tyre stone, stone brook
• Sulzfeld am Main: Cyriakusberg (with Berg I), Maustal, Sonnenberg
• Tauberrettersheim: Queen
• Theilheim: Altenberg
• Winterhausen: Kaiser Wilhelm
• Würzburg: Abtsleite, Fortress View, Inner Groin, Pfaffenberg, Schlossberg, Stein (with Stein-Harfe)
• Würzburg-Heidingsfeld: Kirchberg

Middle Franconian Bocksbeutel Route
The 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 of vines. 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: Red mountain

Middle Main
The area stretches along the Main River from Gemünden am Main in the north to Veitshöchheim in the south, reaching its westernmost extent near Greußenheim and its easternmost extent near Arnstein. The vineyards cover 760 hectares. 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: Wine press
• Karlstadt: In the stone
• Laudenbach: Castle
• Leinach: Himmelberg
• Margetshöchheim: Bärental
• Müdesheim: Bischofsberg
• Mühlbach: Fronberg
• Oberleinach: Himmelberg, Weinsteig
• Retzbach: Benediktusberg
• Retzstadt: Langenberg (with Der Schäfer and Himmelspfad vineyards )
• Reuchelheim: Bischofsberg
• Rimpar: Kobersberg
• Stetten: Stein
• Thüngersheim: Johannisberg( Rothlauf vineyard), Scharlachberg
• Veitshöchheim: Sonnenschein, Wölflein
• Wiesenfeld: Herbstthal
• Zellingen: Sonnleite

Schwanberg Land
The area is bounded by the towns and municipalities of Tiefenstockheim (southwest), Mainbernheim, Rödelsee, Großlangheim, Kleinlangheim(northwest), Rüdenhausen, Abtswind (northeast), Castell OT Greuth and Markt Einersheim (southeast). Within this area are the town of Iphofen incl. OT 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: Boots
• Wiesenbronn: Geissberg, Heller Berg, Wachhügel

Volkach Main Loop
The area begins in the south near Dettelbach, includes the "wine island" with the communities of Nordheim am Main and Sommerach, and ends in the north near 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: Cross path
• Mainberg: Schlossberg
• Neuses am Berg: Glatzen
• Nordheim: Kreuzberg, Vögelein
• Obereisenheim: Höll
• Obervolkach: Landsknecht
• Rimberg: Landsknecht
• Schwanfeld: Mühlberg
• Schwarzenau: Rose garden
• Schweinfurt: Mainleite, Peterstirn
• Sommerach: Katzenkopf, Rosenberg
• Stammheim: Eselsberg
• Untereisenheim: Mountain, Sonnenberg
• Vogelsburg: Gate
• Volkach: Carthusian, Councilman
• Waigolshausen (OT Theilheim): Mainleite
• Wipfeld: tithe count
• Zeilitzheim: Heiligenberg

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

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

Wine Paradise
The area lies on the western edge of the Steigerwald Nature Park. The vineyards cover around 285 hectares. The municipalities with their individual vineyards:

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

Grape variety list

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

Producers

Producers 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 wine family, 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, Max Müller I, May Rudolf, Meier Markus, Ottenbreit, Reiss Christian, Römmert, Rothe Manfred, Roth Gerhard, Ruck Johann, Rudloff, Ruppert, Sauer Horst, Sauer Rainer, Schäffer Egon, Schloss Sommerhausen, Schmachtenberger Berthold, Schmidt Frank & Lukas, Schmitts Kinder, Schwab Thomas, Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg, Stahl Albrecht, Steinmann Artur, Steintal, Stich Gerhard, Störrlein, Stritzinger, Trockene Schmitts, 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, Zur Schwane. Around 80% of the Bavarian winegrowers are organised in the Weinbauring Franken. One WV is Frank & Frei.

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)