What I Learned

Lying about 100 miles south of the geographic center of Germany, Churfranken vines grow in red sandstone and loess soils and subsoils. This small area of Franconia’s wine region is in the Mainviereck wine district. The Main River flows through the Churfranken, which generally enjoys a mild enough climate with sufficient sun exposure for ripening grapes.

This area is especially known for its red wines.  In fact, the Churfranken Pinot Noirs are consistently judged the best red wines of the entire Franconian region. So, while local vintners grow the ubiquitous Franconian white grape varietals of Silvaner and Bacchus, as well as Riesling, the reds carry the day here. Blauer Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), and Blauer Portugieser are two well-known red varietals locally. Another red varietal is the Schwarzriesling. Also known as the Muellerrebe, it is not completely uncommon in this part of Germany, although you will be hard pressed to find it outside the Franken and Wuerttemberg wine regions.

Vineyards in the central part of the Churfranken range closely along the river, unlike their counterparts just a few kilometers up or down river, which lie in little tributary valleys. Hence, south of Erlenbach am Main, through Klingenberg, to Grossheubach, as the slopes along both sides of the river crowd in upon each other and begin to rise steeply, the vineyards are terraced. Vintners from Erlenbach and Klingenberg created approximately 60 kilometers of dry wall terraces by hand in the Hochberg vineyard alone, which lies between the two towns. Upriver, in the major wine center of Buergstadt, by contrast, its vineyards lie facing the little Erf River to its south, and there is little terracing.

 

What I Tasted

2015 Portugieser, Miltenberger Steingruebler, Qualitaetswein, Trocken, Weingut Otto Knapp (Miltenberg): A dry red wine with medium minus ruby red color; smoke and cherry notes, with cherry flavors; medium tannins.

2014 Spaetburgunder, Grossheubacher Bischofsberg, Trocken, Weingut Beni Baltes (Klingenberg): A dry red wine with medium plus garnet color; a nose of berry, cherry, wood and dark baking chocolate, with dried berry, wood and vanilla flavors; medium tannins with a medium finish.

2010 Spaetburgunder, Centgraf, Qualitaetswein, Trocken (Buergstadt): A dry red wine with dark garnet red color; a nose with mineral components, flavors of dark cherries and chocolate; smooth, with medium tannins, and a rich velvety mouth feel.