The distinctive shape of a Franken wine bottle or bocksbeutel.
Franken or
Franconia is further east than the other major wine growing regions
in Germany.
The Main River and its tributaries provide vines with good irrigation, but unlike
the Rhine, the Main does not provide a balanced climate. There
are often quick changes in the weather which makes the life of
the grapes in the vineyards more difficult than in other regions. Yet it also often results
in a heartier wine.
Wines from
the Franken region are traditionally full-bodied, very dry white wines. The
Stein winery, near Würzburg, gave rise to the generic term
"Steinwein" by which these wines have always been known.
The distinctive round shaped, flat green bottle, called a "bocksbeutel"
is also an instant visual clue to their origins.
Müller-Thurgau,
and Silvaner grapes are the principal varieties grown to produce
these hearty, earthy dry wines often compared to white wines from
France's Burgundy
region.
Lush acres of vineyards in the Franken wine region include Nordheim am Main and Sommerach.
Bacchus and
Ortega grapes are are also grown in the region, resulting in late
harvest wines which are sweeter than the traditional Franken wines.
Overall, Franken wines are usually consumed locally and not exported
in great quantities, so if you're planning a trip through Franken ....
drink up!
More information about Franken wines & vineyards around the Web:
Franken
Wines - From Wein-Plus a guide to the region and its wines
with links to Area Maindreieck, Area Steigerwald, Area Mainviereck
and to all of the wineries in the wine region of Franken.
German
Wine Regions - Franken - The section on Franken wines
from the German Wine site is brief. It includes a simple map of
Germany showing the region and a few paragraphs on the weather,
the geography and the history of the wines.