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Franconia: wine diversity guaranteed

In Germany, Franconian wines - especially Silvaner - are often referred to as “asparagus wines”. However, Silvaner from Franconia can actually do much more. Just like Riesling. Or Pinot Noir. If you take a closer look, the German wine-growing region impresses with a variety of different styles. And that's exactly what we're going to take a closer look at here.

Franconia can look back on a rich history as a German wine-growing region, dating back to the 8th century. The first written evidence of viticulture in Franconia dates back to this time and is concentrated in the area of today's administrative district of Lower Franconia. Charlemagne played an important role in the development of Franconian viticulture when he donated his property in Hammelburg, including the vineyards there, to Fulda Monastery on January 7, 777. This marked an important milestone in the history of Franconian viticulture.

Two years earlier, in 775, viticulture was already mentioned in a document for the Holzkirchen monastery, although the original document is missing. In Würzburg, traces of viticulture can be traced back to the year 779. In the “Würzburg market descriptions”, there is explicit mention of “Fredthantes uuingarton”, a vineyard that can be located between Würzburg and Randersacker.

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The first Silvaner and the invention of the Bocksbeutel

One fascinating aspect of Franconian wine history is the oldest wine in the world, the 1540 Würzburger Stein. This wine was tasted in London in 1961 by the famous wine journalist Hugh Johnson. Johnson described the 421-year-old wine as “still alive” and emphasized that it showed its German origins in an astonishing way. This “millennium wine” is now on permanent loan from the Simon family in London and is kept in the treasury of the Würzburg Citizens' Hospital.

Another important event in the history of Franconian viticulture was the first planting of Silvaner in Würzburg. On April 10, 1659, the first Silvaner vines were planted in the soil of a Castell vineyard in Würzburg. It was the beginning of a success story. Incidentally, another success story began five days earlier. On April 5, 1659, the Franconians introduced the bottle shape called Bocksbeutel for their best wines in order to scare off wine imitators, who were plentiful at the time. The name “Bocksbeutel” has various theories of origin, including its resemblance to a book bag (“Booksbüdel”) or the scrotum of a billy goat.

Franconia wine: Good to know

 

Total vine area

Sub-areas

Single sections

Annual production

Annual production

6.171 hectare

4

216

⌀ 436.000 hectolitres

⌀ 325.000
 hectolitres

Franconia: Geography and climate

The region stretches along the River Main and its tributaries and benefits from a continental climate with warm summers and mild winters. The most important soil types for Franconian viticulture are shell limestone, Keuper and red sandstone, which predominate in various sub-areas of the region.

Franconian wine and its grape varieties

Over 80% of the grape varieties in Franconia are dominated by white grape varieties, with Silvaner occupying a prominent position. This grape variety, which is often referred to as “Franconia's soul”, finds ideal conditions in the chalky soils and produces mineral, elegant wines.

In addition to Silvaner, other white grape varieties such as Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus and Riesling also play an important role. Bacchus, a cross between Silvaner, Riesling and Müller-Thurgau, is a Franconian specialty that is prized for its fruity, aromatic wines. Red grape varieties such as Pinot Noir and Domina complete the range of grape varieties, but make up a smaller proportion of the area under cultivation.

Franconia wines in detail

 

Grape varieties Area

Grape varieties Prestige

Climate

Climatic influences

Soils

Silvaner (1,559 hectares), Müller-Thurgau (1,400 hectares), Bacchus (739 hectares)
 

Silvaner, Riesling, Pinot Noir

temperate-continental

Main and its tributaries

Muschelkalk, Buntsandstein, Keuper and Kristallin

Franconia's sub-regions

The wine-growing region of Franconia can be divided into four sub-areas, each characterized by specific soil types and the resulting wine styles. This is precisely why we are now taking a closer look at them.

Maindreieck

The Maindreieck, the largest growing region, is primarily known for its shell limestone soils. These soils give the wines, especially the Silvaner, a distinct minerality and structure. The wines from the Maindreieck are characterized by their elegance and longevity.

Steigerwald

The Steigerwald, located to the east of the Maindreieck, is characterized by Keuper soils. These soils, which consist of clay, marl and sandstone, produce wines that often have a fine spiciness and a pronounced fruitiness. The wines from the Steigerwald, especially the Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau, are often somewhat softer and more accessible than their counterparts from the Maindreieck.

Middle main

The Mittelmain region is characterized by red sandstone soils. These soils, which are rich in iron and minerals, give the wines a special spiciness and complexity. The wines from this region, especially the Pinot Noirs, are often characterized by a fine fruitiness and a subtle minerality.

Churfranken

Churfranken, the easternmost part of the Franconian wine-growing region, is also characterized by red sandstone soils, but also has areas with crystalline primary rock. This soil diversity is reflected in the diversity of the wines. The wines from Churfranken are often powerful and structured, with a pronounced minerality that is particularly evident in the Pinot Noirs.

Franconia: Wine as an economic factor

Viticulture is an important economic factor in the Franconia region. With a vineyard area of over 6,000 hectares and around 3,500 winegrowers, viticulture makes a significant contribution to the local economy. Franconian wines enjoy an excellent reputation not only regionally, but also nationally and internationally. Silvaner from Franconia in particular is considered a reference wine for this grape variety and can be found on the wine lists of renowned restaurants worldwide.

Franconian wines are playing an increasingly important role on the international wine market. The combination of traditional winegrowing methods and modern cellar technology has led to a significant increase in quality in recent decades. Top Franconian wines, especially the Große Gewächse from the best sites, regularly achieve top marks in international wine ratings and help to improve the image of German white wines worldwide.
The uniqueness of Franconian wines, especially Silvaner, but also specialties such as Bacchus or red varieties such as Pinot Noir and Domina, make them sought-after niche products on the global wine market. The characteristic Bocksbeutel bottle serves as an unmistakable trademark and contributes to the recognition of Franconian wines.

Overall, it can be said that the Franconian wine region offers a fascinating combination of rich history, unique terroir diversity and innovative viticulture. From the first vineyards donated by Charlemagne to the modern, internationally recognized wines of today, Franconia has undergone an impressive development. The diversity of soils and microclimates, the characteristic grape varieties such as Silvaner and Bacchus and the unmistakable Bocksbeutel bottle make Franconian wine a unique cultural asset. With its importance for the regional economy and its growing presence on the international wine market, Franconia remains one of the most exciting and promising wine regions in Germany.

Your selling points for Franconia wines

  • Silvaner can be promoted excellently as an asparagus wine, but the grape variety itself is a fantastic accompaniment to food
  • Even demanding palates can be satisfied
  • Wide range of different styles
  • Interesting for the international wine trade because Silvaner can also be offered as an alternative to Riesling
  • Usually an excellent price-pleasure ratio





 
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