Franconian Wine Buy
Franconia (German: Franken) is a region for quality wine in Germany[1] situated in the north west of Bavaria in the district of Franconia, and is the only wine region in the federal state of Bavaria. In 2014, vines were grown on 6,176 hectares (15,260 acres) of land in the region.[2]
franconian wine buy
The greater part of the wine region is situated in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia around its capital Würzburg along the Main River. There are a few areas in Middle Franconia, mainly in the Steigerwald; and a very small part in the area of Upper Franconia around Bamberg. The bends of the River Main have been used to define the region's three districts, two of which take their names from their respective geometric shape.[3]
The Mainviereck ("Main square") is the westernmost district of Franconia, on the lower slopes of the Spessart hills and is one of the warmest spots in Bavaria. The special soil is mainly red sandstone which is especially suitable for growing grape vines for red wine. Franconian vine plantings for red wine started to expand in the 1970s.[4]
The Pinot noirs and the rare but high quality grape Frühburgunder are grown. The "Bürgstadter Centgrafenberg" and the "Schlossberg" in Klingenberg am Main are said to be the best vineyards.[by whom?] Some of the wines made from vines grown there have won national and international wine trophies. The most important villages are Bürgstadt, Großheubach and Klingenberg am Main.
The Maindreieck ("Main triangle") is the middle portion of Franconia. On the sometimes very steep hills alongside the Main river, the soil mainly consists of Muschelkalk. Mostly Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau grapes are grown. As in many wine regions in Germany, a wide variety of grapes are cultivated. Riesling, Bacchus, Pinot noir, Domina, and Dornfelder are the most important grapes besides Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau. Some wine journalists say that Franconia is the only place in the world where the Silvaner wine can be better than the king of German wines, the Riesling.[5]
The best-known vineyard site is the Würzburger Stein, a hill north of central Würzburg. The wines from there are known as Steinwein. Along the Maindreieck, nearly every town produces some wine. The earliest evidence of the Silvaner grape is found in the archive of Castell in a document from 10 April 1659.
The soil of the Mittelgebirge Steigerwald consists mainly of gypsum. The wines of this region often have a very strong mineral taste. The most important villages are Iphofen, Rödelsee and Castell
There is evidence that wine has been produced in Franconia for over 1,000 years. In an old document from the year 777 there is a note of a winery being given by Charlemagne to Fulda Abbey. This is the town of Hammelburg. In medieval times the area under cultivation grew strongly, up to 40,000 ha. In the 20th century it decreased at one stage to just over 2,000 ha.
Today about 6,100 ha of land is used for growing wine. The area stretches from Bamberg to Aschaffenburg. The climate is called continental with Mediterranean influence. Quite often there are strong winters and temperatures under 0 degrees Celsius in the spring. Therefore, wine is grown mainly in especially protected places usually along the hills of the River Main and the Steigerwald.
Because of the special soil and the mild climate along the Main river, wines with a very high mineralisation can be harvested. The amount of minerals in the wine is a factor in the quality testing every Franconian wine is subjected to. This is unique in Germany. The majority of the wines are made from one grape variety at a time. Cuvées are rare. It is said that the wines of the typical Silvaner are the best wines from this grape in the world.
Most Franconian wines are dry. Although in German law dry wines are allowed 9 grams of residual sugar, many German wineries are still using the term Fränkisch trocken (Franconian dry) for wines with 5 grams of residual sugar or less. About 12,000 to 14,000 wines from Franconia pass the official testing.
Franconian wines vary in how long they can be kept. The basic wines, which are called Qualitätswein or Kabinett are made to be drunk one to three years after production. If they are kept too long, the wines lose their typical fruitiness and freshness. The best wines are mainly the dry Spätlesen which are full-bodied and can mature for up to six, sometimes ten years. The rare sweet wines often with noble rot, and Eisweins, can sometimes mature for 50 years or more. Oak matured red wines should be drunk three to ten years after production if kept in a good wine cellar.
The rounded and flattened Bocksbeutel is the typical and well known bottle originally used only for the best Franconian wines. Since 1989 the use of the Bocksbeutel has been protected by European Union regulations, but some other regions beside Franconia are also allowed to use this bottle shape.
The growing of wine influenced the lifestyle of the people living in the area. Unlike many other German wine regions, a large amount of Franconian wine is drunk in the area where it is produced. Nearly every town has its own Weinfest, a festival that lasts a weekend, or sometimes just one day, where wine is drunk instead of beer. The so-called Heckenwirtschaften are very popular small outlets where wineries sell their own wine, usually at low prices.
Other important German white wine varieties include Müller-Thurgau as well as Grauburguner (Pinot Gris) and Weissburguner (Pinot Blanc). The red wine, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), grown in warmer pockets of the country can be both elegant and structured.
Würzburg is home of the famed vineyard Stein, which gave rise to the generic term Steinwein, formerly used to denote all Franken wines. Franconian wines are generally fuller-bodied, less aromatic, often drier, firmer, and earthier.
While Germany may be known for its beer, in this region of Bavaria, wine heritage runs deep. Wine has been cultivated in Franconia for more than a thousand years, and vineyards cover the hills and countryside.
In other parts of Germany, locals go to the beer garden for relaxation. Here in Franconia, folks head to the wine cellar. It only seems fitting then, to be sitting in the cellars of a beautiful castle drinking Silvaner.
I flew from the United States to Frankfurt, and then it was just a 2.5-hour drive to Franconian Wine Country.We had started off our visit with a stop in Volkach, a village of 9,000 surrounded by vineyards. Generations of winemakers still make their home here. The Max Muller Winery is one example.
There's more to Bavaria than beer (excellent though it is). Namely wine, especially in Franconia, where they've been perfecting their silvaners for a thousand years. And that's not all that's old and wonderful around here. In between sips, make time for an extremely old hotel and a UNESCO World Heritage palace to rival Versailles.
Another unmistakable indicator of a Franconian wine is the bottle in which its stored: the stout and curvaceous bocksbeutel, which has been used since before the Middle Ages. With wineries outnumbering breweries in and around Franconia's fairytale towns, there's no better way to explore this part of Germany than with a glass in hand.
Würzburg, the official capital of Lower Franconia and the unofficial capital of the region's winemaking industry, is the ideal base for exploring (and drinking) Franconia's best. Rebuilt to its former glory after being 90 percent destroyed after World War II, Würzburg is an incredibly lively university town that's so charming, it marks the beginning of Germany's famed Romantic Road.
While sipping your silvaner riverside, look around and you'll see vineyards near and far, even covering the slopes leading up to the massive Marienberg Fortress, which dates back to the 8th century. The view from atop the fortress is pretty outstanding, offering an unparalleled panorama of Würzburg from its east-facing garden. But Würzburg's most prized treasure is Würzburg Residenz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and true architectural masterpiece. Modeled after Versailles, its exterior is a superior example of French chateau style, but its interior mesmerizes with Baroque and Rococo elements, floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall. Marvel at the grand staircase, its steps leading you towards the largest ceiling fresco in the world, completed by Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Each room inside the Residenz is overwhelmingly spectacular, but it's underneath this opulent palace where you can find the wine. And that's what we're here for, right?
The Prince Bishop's Court Cellar is the world's largest Baroque cellar, built for exclusive use by the prince bishops of Würzburg. Today, winery Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg organizes tours of the candlelit tunnels that hold massive, 1,200 liter wine barrels, letting you sample a decent variety of local bottles.
Würzburg may be the wine capital of Franconia, but the some of region's most excellent wines are found along the Main River to the east. Rent a car and design your own wine tour, or join the hikers and cyclists in the warmer months who make multiple stops for a schoppen (a glass of wine) along their route.
Just over a mile east from Rainer Sauer is Vogelberg. The former monastery is now a stately hilltop hotel and restaurant, and it's a perfect spot for a traditional lunch with views as spectacular as views get. From the sprawling terrace, you'll have the ultimate vista of the Main River loop and the vineyards that swirl into its valley. Many of the wines served at Vogelberg are from Würzburg's Juliusspital. The restaurant's menu couldn't be more Franconian. Order the sampling platter, which overflows with house-made liverwurst and sausages, smoked fish, and obatzda, a spiced cheese dip.
Next stop: Wine Island, a place you thought only existed in your happy hour dreams. In order to connect the towns of Volkach with Schwarzach am Main, a canal was dug in the 1950s, forming a small island that today is covered in family-owned vineyards, some small enough to occupy just their front yards. Sommerach, one of the island's two towns, is home to Winzer Sommerach, the oldest wine cooperative in Franconia. Founded in 1901, Winzer Sommerach has a current membership of 90 wine-growing families, each contributing the majority of their grape bounty to the co-op. With these grapes, 80 different bottles are produced, including an impressive Domina red and seasonal varietals like the fruity Sommerlust series. Winzer Sommerach also offers cooking classes, which emphasize seasonal local ingredients that pair well with their wines. 041b061a72