Franken

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The steep vineyard sites on the cut banks of the Main valley are frequently interrupted by so-called 'Klingen' — former drainage channels of the upland plateau — creating a small-scale mosaic of individual vineyard sites with differing microclimates.
• In the Steigerwald, the clay layers of the Keuper form natural geological terraces oriented to the south and west, which are utilised for viticulture.
• With the exception of the Vorspessart, where the soils are derived from the crystalline basement of gneiss and mica schist, the Triassic rock formations Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk, and Keuper shape the landscape and define the character of Franken wines.
• On the Mainfranken plateaux, which are predominantly used for agriculture owing to loess deposits, vines are cultivated on soils derived from Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk, and Keuper.
• The Franken appellation lies in the transitional zone between a cool-temperate, sub-oceanic and a sub-continental climate, and with an average annual rainfall of under 550 mm ranks among the driest regions of Bavaria.
• In winter, continental easterly airflows cause severe chilling, resulting in winter frosts and late frosts.

• As a result of the tradition of land subdivision by inheritance (Realteilung), the Franken appellation is characterised by a small-scale structure, with around 20% of the vineyard area consisting of steep sites and terraced sites that demand a high level of labour input.
• Extensive land consolidation schemes have brought around 60% of the vineyard area under more modern cultivation methods, which today makes the preservation of the steep and terraced sites possible.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Einzellagen

• Bürgstadter Berg PDO
• Würzburger Stein-Berg PDO

All appellations in Germany

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-DE-A1267
• Official trade body site — Weinbauverband Franken e.V.