Franken
Continental
The Main valley around Würzburg, known for dry, earthy Silvaner sold in the flat Bocksbeutel bottle.
Overview
About Franken
Franken, or Franconia, is centred on the Main river and the city of Würzburg. Silvaner is its traditional grape, made into dry, earthy, mineral wines, and Müller-Thurgau, sold as Rivaner, is also widely planted.
Many of the wines are sold in the squat, flat-sided Bocksbeutel, and the famous Würzburger Stein vineyard produces some of the best.
Franken is marked on the map.
Germany
Shaded: Bayern. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Continental
Colder winters and hotter summers than the western regions, with a risk of spring frost. The Main river moderates the best slopes.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Shell limestone (Muschelkalk) around Würzburg, Keuper marl further east, and red sandstone in the west.
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
Juliusspital
Würzburg; a charitable foundation and one of Germany's oldest wine estates.
Bürgerspital zum Heiligen Geist
Würzburg; a historic charitable estate.
Horst Sauer
Escherndorf; noted for Silvaner and Riesling.
Rudolf Fürst
Klingenberg; a leading red-wine grower, for Spätburgunder.
Castell
Castell; the princely estate where Sylvaner was first recorded in Germany in 1659.
What's grown here
Grapes
Each grape's page links back here.