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Franken (Franconia)
Franken (in English, Franconia) lies some 65 km east of the Rhine, in Bavaria, with most of its vineyards planted on the hilly slopes lining the Main River and its tributaries. It is a region for quality wine in Germany 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 2006, vines were grown on 6,123 hectares (15,153 acres) of land.
There is evidence that wine has been production in Franconia for over 1000 years. In an old document from the year 777 there is a note of a winery being gifted from Charlemagne to the monastery of Fulda. This is the town of Hammelburg. In medieval times the area under cultivation grew strongly up to 40000 ha. In the 20th century it decreased to just over 2000 ha. Today about 6100 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.
Fuller-bodied, less aromatic, often drier, firmer and earthier, Franconian wines are generally the most masculine of Germany's wines. Part of Franken wines' singular personality is due to the climate: cold winters, high annual rainfall, early frosts - long, warm autumns are rare. As a result, the late-ripening Riesling plays a minor role. Müller-Thurgau (also called Rivaner), Silvaner and new crossings, such as Bacchus and Kerner, are the most important white varieties.
Red wine grapes thrive in the western portion of the region between Aschaffenburg and Miltenberg.The finest Franken wines are traditionally bottled in a Bocksbeutel, a squat green or brown flagon with a round body - which lends considerable recognition value to the region's wines.
The greatest part of the wine region is situated in the county of Lower Franconia around its capital Würzburg along the Main River. Würzburg is home of the famed vineyard Stein, which gave rise to the generic term Steinwein, formerly used to denote all Franken wines.
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 Main have been used to define the region's three districts, two of which take their names from their respective geometric shape.
The Mainviereck ("Main square") is the westernmost district of Franconia, on the lower parts of and is on of the warmest spots in Bavaria. The special soil is mainly red sand stone which is especially suitable for growing red wine. The Pinot Noirs and the rare but high quality grape Frühburgunder are grown in superb quality.
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. Manly Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau grapes are being grown. But as in many wine regions in Germany a wide variety of grapes is cultivated. Riesling, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Domina and Dornfelder are the most important grapes. Some international wine experts are saying, that Franconia is the only place in the world, where the Silvaner can be greater than the king of German wines, the Riesling.The first evidence of the Silvaner is found in the archive of Castell on a document from April 10, 1659. The most important villages are Würzburg, Randersacker, Sommerhausen, Frickenhausen am Main, Sulzfeld am Main, Sommerach, Escherndorf, Nordheim and Volkach. The soil of the Steigerwald contains mainly of gypsum. The wines of this region often have a very mineralic touch. The most important villages are Iphofen, Rödelsee and Castell.
Franken (in English, Franconia) lies some 65 km east of the Rhine, in Bavaria, with most of its vineyards planted on the hilly slopes lining the Main River and its tributaries. It is a region for quality wine in Germany 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 2006, vines were grown on 6,123 hectares (15,153 acres) of land.
There is evidence that wine has been production in Franconia for over 1000 years. In an old document from the year 777 there is a note of a winery being gifted from Charlemagne to the monastery of Fulda. This is the town of Hammelburg. In medieval times the area under cultivation grew strongly up to 40000 ha. In the 20th century it decreased to just over 2000 ha. Today about 6100 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.
Fuller-bodied, less aromatic, often drier, firmer and earthier, Franconian wines are generally the most masculine of Germany's wines. Part of Franken wines' singular personality is due to the climate: cold winters, high annual rainfall, early frosts - long, warm autumns are rare. As a result, the late-ripening Riesling plays a minor role. Müller-Thurgau (also called Rivaner), Silvaner and new crossings, such as Bacchus and Kerner, are the most important white varieties.
Red wine grapes thrive in the western portion of the region between Aschaffenburg and Miltenberg.The finest Franken wines are traditionally bottled in a Bocksbeutel, a squat green or brown flagon with a round body - which lends considerable recognition value to the region's wines.
The greatest part of the wine region is situated in the county of Lower Franconia around its capital Würzburg along the Main River. Würzburg is home of the famed vineyard Stein, which gave rise to the generic term Steinwein, formerly used to denote all Franken wines.
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 Main have been used to define the region's three districts, two of which take their names from their respective geometric shape.
The Mainviereck ("Main square") is the westernmost district of Franconia, on the lower parts of and is on of the warmest spots in Bavaria. The special soil is mainly red sand stone which is especially suitable for growing red wine. The Pinot Noirs and the rare but high quality grape Frühburgunder are grown in superb quality.
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. Manly Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau grapes are being grown. But as in many wine regions in Germany a wide variety of grapes is cultivated. Riesling, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Domina and Dornfelder are the most important grapes. Some international wine experts are saying, that Franconia is the only place in the world, where the Silvaner can be greater than the king of German wines, the Riesling.The first evidence of the Silvaner is found in the archive of Castell on a document from April 10, 1659. The most important villages are Würzburg, Randersacker, Sommerhausen, Frickenhausen am Main, Sulzfeld am Main, Sommerach, Escherndorf, Nordheim and Volkach. The soil of the Steigerwald contains mainly of gypsum. The wines of this region often have a very mineralic touch. The most important villages are Iphofen, Rödelsee and Castell.
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