Wine & Würzburg
Würzburg
is the centre of the Bavarian wine-producing region of Franconia.
Renowned for its white wines, Franconia extends along the Main river and takes advantage of the mainly limestone area and the mild climate.
Evidence of wine production in the area around Würzburg - the "Main triangle" (Maindreieck) - dates back to the 8th century. Much of the wine-producing hills in the immediate Würzburg area belonged to the nobility and eventually to charitable institutions.
There are vineyards all around the Marienberg fortress on the other side of the river, but the most renowned vineyards are to the north of the city. The Würzburger Stein is a hill of limestone filled with shells and with a perfect exposure to the sun - the wine from this area is known as Steinwein and the vineyards all belong to one of the five Würzburg growers and wine-producers listed below.
The white wine from the area is based predominantly on the Riesling, Müller-Thurgau or Sylvaner grapes and is sold in distinctive shorter bottles with a flattened circular shape (the "Bocksbeutel"). In Germany, this type of bottle is limited to Franconian white wines (and those from the area of Tauberfranken in Baden).
Around a fifth of the cultivated area is given over to grapes for red wine production.
Würzburg Wine Production
Bürgerspital Wine Estate
The Bürgerspital is actually a charitable hospice and care institution
dating from the 14th century. The original buildings were at the gates
of the city and were designed for the care of the poor who were ill and/or
old. The wine from the vineyards was originally used for internal consumption.
Today the production from the vineyards helps to defray the costs of the institution, which now specialises in geriatric rehabilitation and housing for the elderly. The distinctively-shaped bottle, the Bocksbeutel, dates from the decision of the local council in the 18th century to introduce a differentiating symbol of quality for the wines from the Bürgerspital.
Tours of the cellars are given every Saturday afternoon in the summer months.
Stiftung Bürgerspital zum Heiligen Geist
Theaterstrasse 19
97070 Würzburg
www.buergerspital.de
Juliusspital
Wine Estate
The Juliusspital is another charitable institution
founded in the 16th century by one of the Würzburg Prince Bishops.
The buildings were aimed for the poor and the ill who could not afford
treatment.
The original buildings in the city were completely destroyed in the Second World War but rebuilt in the 1950s. The foundation now consists of a hospital and a residence for the geriatric as well as the vineyards.
The foundation organises wine tours of the buildings with tasting on Fridays and Saturdays through the year apart from the winter months.
Weingut Juliusspital
Klinikstrasse 1
97070 Würzburg
www.juliusspital.de
Staatlicher
Hofkeller
The Hofkeller stems from the original court cellars of the Prince
Bishops and the cellars are located in (or rather under) a wing of
the Würzburg Residence.
The Hofkeller dates itself from a document from the 12th century and, as such, is the oldest wine estate in Germany. It belonged to the Prince Bishops until the time of secularisation in the 19th century when it was taken over by the State of Bavaria, who still run the estate.
Tours of the cellars are organised several times daily on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays from March until mid-December.
Staatlicher Hofkeller
Residenzplatz 3
97070 Würzburg
www.hofkeller.de
Weingut
Reiss
The Weingut Reiss is a relatively young vineyard - at least compared
to the venerable estates above - which was founded in the 1960s by
the Reiss family in the suburb of Unterdürrbach. The family,
who can date their winemaking history back to the 1800s, have 15
hectares of vineyards. The family offer guided tours of the vineyards
and wine tastings for groups.
Weingut Reiss
Unterdürrbacher Strasse 182
97080 Würzburg
www.weingut-reiss.com
Weingut
Am Stein Ludwig Knoll
Ludwig and Sandra Knoll inherited the Weingut am Stein from Ludwig's
father in the 1990s. As the name suggests, the Weingut buildings
are on the Würzburger Stein, although the family also have vineyards
elsewhere around the city and the Main river. The family offers wine-tastings
for groups and organise a Hoffest in the summer.
Weingut Am Stein
Mittlerer Steinbergweg
97080 Würzburg
www.weingut-am-stein.de
Würzburg's Wine Events
Most of the wine estates above will organise their own wine festivals or wine weeks but there are several wine industry events in Würzburg during the summer.
The Würzburger Weindorf event is held on the last Friday in May. Stalls are set up in the city's main square, the Marktplatz, featuring wine and local specialities.
The Würzburg Weinparade takes place at the end of the summer. This is also held in the Marktplatz and is organised by the wine estates and several local restaurants.
