Franken
The Bocksbeutel is the trademark of Franconian wine, which has been cultivated for over 1200 years, especially along the Main River.
Facts
-
6.040 ha
Vineyard area
-
216
single vineyards
-
83 %
White wine percentage
-
1.536 ha
Silvaner
Franken - Bocksbeutel Country
The Franconian wine country is framed by the Rhön Mountains to the north, the Steigerwald to the east, the Tauber Valley to the south, and the Spessart to the west. In 2025, Franconian winegrowers cultivate 6,040 hectares of vineyards. Silvaner, in particular, thrives on the region’s shell-limestone and Keuper soils. It is a hallmark of Franconian winemaking and, with 1,536 hectares, covers one quarter of the region’s vineyard area. The delicately aromatic Müller-Thurgau - Franconia’s second most planted variety with 1,298 hectares—is being interpreted in a modern style by young winemakers and is experiencing a renaissance. White wine accounts for around 83 percent of production in Franconia, and alongside Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau, the white variety Bacchus plays a major role as a regional specialty.
The center of the winegrowing region is the baroque and festival city of Würzburg, home to the Würzburg Residence and the medieval Marienberg Fortress. It also boasts famous vineyard sites such as the Würzburger Stein, which was already among Goethe’s favorite wines. Würzburg’s traditional wineries invite visitors to explore their expansive cellars and impressive architecture—best enjoyed together with top Franconian wines and fine cuisine during the Würzburg Baroque Festivals.
Overview Franken
Geographical location: East of Frankfurt on the south-facing slopes lining the Main River and its tributaries
Major town: Würzburg.
Climate: Continental, with warm, dry summers and cold winters
Soil types: Weathered, primitive rock and colored sandstone in the Spessart Hills north of Miltenberg. Shell-limestone predominates in the central district, while heavier gypsum and keuper soils are found further east, near the Steiger Forest
Vineyard area (2025): 6,040 ha · 3 districts · 23 collective vineyard sites · 200+ individual sites
Grape varieties 2025 [white 83% : red 17%]: Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus, as well as Riesling and Kerner
Marketing: The regional cooperative cellars in Kitzingen and smaller cooperatives produce and market about 40% of the region's wine, the remainder is handled by private and state-owned estates. Exports play a minor role. Four out of five bottles of Franken wine are consumed within a 250-km/155-mile radius of where it is produced.
Signposted routes through wine country: There is no officially signposted Franconian Wine Road. The Romantic Road (driving) passes through the Franconian portion of the Tauber Valley, and the Main-Tauber-Fränkische Radachter (cycling) route includes wine villages northwest and southeast of Würzburg
Varietals
Quotes
Highlights of wine culture in Franken
-
Highlight Vinothek Max Müller Vinothek Max Müller - Architecture and Wine: New Franconia meets Classic Franconia
Learn more -
Highlight Winery : Am Stein Weingut Am Stein - Independent and Uncompromising - Architecture and Stone Wine
Learn more -
Highlight Winery : Bürgerspital und Würzburger Steinwein Würzburg’s Weingut Bürgerspital and Steinwein: Bocksbeutel and Silvaner
Learn more
Winesights
Wine hike Red Wine Hiking Trail
With a total length of around 70 kilometers, the Franken red wine hiking trail can of course not be hiked in one day if it is to remain enjoyable.
Contact
-
Frankenland GmbH
97076 Würzburg-Lengfeld Hertzstraße 12 Bayern Germany
