What I Learned

Germany’s Franconian vineyards are found in three wine districts: the Steigerwald, the Maindreieck, and the Mainviereck. The western-most sub-district of the Mainviereck is the Churfranken. This is where the Main River makes a sharp curve north, shortly before it leaves Franconia and enters the lands of Hesse.

Sited in red sandstone and loess soils and subsoils, Churfranken vineyards enjoy a mild climate with sufficient sun exposure for ripening grapes. Here, vintners grow Blauer Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), and Blauer Portugieser as red varietals. In fact, the Churfranken Pinot Noirs are consistently judged the best red wines of the entire Franconian region. The ubiquitous Franconian white grape varietals of Silvaner and Bacchus, grow here, as does Riesling. Chardonnay has lately become a local specialty as well.

On the western side of the river valley the northern-most town of Grossostheim has a viticultural history dating to the thirteenth century, if not earlier. The Romans in nearby Obernburg am Main undoubtedly had some vineyards, although that is not yet proven. Between the two towns, is Grossostheim’s Reichsklingenberg vineyard. Further south lie the Luetzeltal and Pilztal vineyards, in western Grosswallstadt. These vineyards do not range along the river, but rather are tucked away in little valleys, a pleasant surprise to hikers and wine-drinkers alike.

The village of Rueck lies in the side valley of the Elsava, on the eastern side of the Main river valley. It’s viticultural tradition dates to the fourteenth century, when a benefactor of the Cistercian Himmelthal Cloister gifted vineyards to the religious community. Later, Jesuits later took over its properties, and today one well-known vineyard site is the Jesuiten-berg, which commemorates the memory of its bygone owners.

Still on the eastern side of the Main, Erlenbach a major regional wine center. This is the start of the terraces, as the slopes along both sides of the river begin to rise steeply.

 

What I Tasted

2015 Portugieser, Erlenbacher Hochberg, Q.b.A., Trocken, Weingut A. Waigand & Sohn (Erlenbach): A dry red wine with medium plus ruby red color; a sour cherry nose, with raspberry, and black pepper flavors, medium tannins.

2015 Portugieser, “BF”, Q.b.A., Trocken, Weingut A. Waigand & Sohn (Erlenbach): A dry red wine with medium plus ruby red color; a blackberry nose, with raspberry, black pepper flavors, with a hint of oak; medium tannins.

2015 Domina, Auslese, Deutsche Praedikatswein, Trocken, Weingut Wengerter (Erlenbach): A dry red wine with dark garnet color; pepper and vanilla nose, with a hint of slightly bruised apple, and flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, vanilla and slight oak; powerful wine with lots of fruit forward flavors, and medium tannins.

2015 Weissburgunder, Trocken, Qualitaetswein, Weingut Kapraun (Grossostheim): A dry white wine with medium gold color; a talc and white stone fruits nose; rich floral, white stone fruits flavors; mild acidity with a smooth, honey-flavored finish.

2015 Silvaner, Johannisberg, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weinbau Grabensee (Elsenfeld-Rueck): A dry white wine with light plus gold color; a delicate fruity nose of white grape, flavor of the same; mild acidity.

2011 Spaetburgunder, Spaetlese, Praedikatswein, Trocken, Weingut R. Hillerich (Erlenbach): A dry red wine with medium plus garnet color; a tobacco nose, with hints of oak, and vanilla, prune and dried cherry flavors; an elegant wine with smooth medium tannins.