WTN: Frankenwein

A recent trip over to some of the Franconian parts of Bavaria afforded me an introduction to the wines of Franken, and, in particular, what the Silvaner grape is capable of. A visit to two impressive producers (Horst Sauer and Hans Wirsching) and seeking out opportunities to pair the local Franconian cuisine with the local wines made me an instant fan. I have never had a wine so clearly transform and enhance a food as did the Bürgerspital below. Wow. Very decent trocken rieslings as well -- but my excitement was mainly centered on the new discovery of Silvaner. I'll have to return sometime to visit Johann Ruck and Rudolf Fürst. My impressions on the wines I was able to enjoy a bottle of . . .

2006 Bürgerspital Würzburger Stein Franken Silvaner Kabinett Trocken (Franken, Germany) 12.5% - smell faint apple and watermelon and other melons, mouthfeel bit heavy on approach, but with rather good flow, taste is quite abrasive at first, but after either opening up or my palate adjusting, after 15 minutes it is singing, juicy, but with little fruit flavor, great stone and slight herbs, refreshing and easy to down, with food, wow, what an experience, with my dish of a roasted pork rib with blah potato dumplings it was a good match, but with my companion’s potato gnocchi in cream sauce it did wonders—the first taste of the cream sauce indicated it was nothing particularly interesting, it tasted creamy and a bit salty but no interesting flavors, but when we had a sip of the Silvaner before taking another try at the sauce, it was completely transformed and absolutely screamed “Gorgonzola” which had been completely undetected before, the dish was still a bit lackluster, but it was eye-opening to see how much the wine did to make the dish sing—of course, pairing local wine with local food is a match that is hard to beat (and this experience was in a Weinstube/casual restaurant operated by the producer), but this was a unique experience for me in seeing the absolutely transformative effects Silvaner can have with food, wow . . . not at all shabby for 16 euro off the winelist

2005 Ernst Popp Iphöfer Julius-Echter-Berg Franken Silvaner Kabinett Trocken (Franken, Germany) 12% - a bit more rounded and approachable upfront than the other Franken Silvaners I had that I really liked, this wine was less focused and, though less abrupt when I first drank it, did not reach as far as the other wines I was able to enjoy at leisure, nonetheless, although the wine did not make a name for itself, it did very nicely at integrating with and compliment a meal of roasted pork, mushrooms, and potatoes and a trio of Nürnberg sausages, one of those wines that fits in well with its surrounding environment quite nicely, for 12 euro off the wine list, I was happy

2007 Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Fürstenberg Franken Silvaner Kabinett Trocken (Franken, Germany) 11.5% - appears pale gold, some clinging bubbles on bottom of glass, reflective, smell strong apple and some blueberries and wafting mineral, plum and stone come in quite a bit as wine opens up, mouthfeel is viscous with a bit of spicy near fizziness in background, taste little forward, just pleasant entry without a big flavor impact, but, wow the finish, intense, delicious, incredibly interesting and refreshing, absolutely addictive stuff, by day 2 it had lost a bit of its zip, but on day 3 the intensity and interesting qualities of the flavor and finish were clearly present, paired wonderfully and accentuated the already intense flavors of a new recipe for us, tofu and crimini mushrooms with smoked paprika and crème fraîche, (dining at home here, so deviating a bit from the Franconian cuisine theme) at 7 euro, even though the winery said they released it earlier than they wanted (in December 2007) due to selling out of the 2006, this wine was ready for me—it didn’t even last a week in our home after tasting it at the winery, delicious

Nicely done Keith! Welcome to the wonderfully underrated world of Silvaner. Hmmm, maybe one should start a Silvaner Society? If one is tenacious enough, Silvaner is attainable in the US from Wirsching, Juliusspital, and I'm told that Loosen imports Sauer, but I've only ever had it in Germany -your note about rapid turnover is a good explanation of why. It is a shame, because he certainly tops my list. Did you have a chance to taste other wines at Horst Sauer? He makes great Silvaner Eiswein too. The only negative I can find in Franken is the overwhelming vineyard area devoted to Müller-Thurgau, a vine I'd like to see eradicated (IMO it gives the region a bad name.) While most early reports of the 2007 vintage in Germany are incredibly optimistic, I haven't gotten much info on Franken. What was the impression of the vintage from the locals? It sounds like Escherndorf did well. Thanks for the notes and keep 'em comin'.

Thanks, Bill. Amazing how fast one can become a member of the fan club . . .

I didn't get much detail, but when I asked if the Echerndorfer Fürstenberg Silvaner was indicative of the quality of the 2007ers in general, the folks at Horst Sauer replied that they were very optimistic about how their were coming along -- so general optimism, but not sure how that's playing out in the wines themselves.

I was able to try a pretty good range of things at Horst Sauer. Totally agree on the Müller Thurgau--tasting one was enough for me to ignore the category altogether there. The Silvaner Trockens were more to my liking than the Silvaner Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein, to be honest. The 2006 Escherndorfer Lump Silvaner TBA was certainly intense and offered impressive complexity, but was so rich and caramelly, I'm not sure what I would do with even a 500 ml bottle of it--it was good, really good, but just too intense for my tastes. The 2004 Escherndorfer Lump Silvaner Eiswein, on the other hand, was certainly more refreshing, but lacked a certain zip--good solid drinkable flavors, but it ain't got that zing. Perhaps that's why I preferred the 2006 Escherndorfer Lump Riesling Beerenauslese--not so heavy on the intense flavors, but zip on the palate and lovely on the nose. Interesting though, as I heard others acclaim the sweeter possibilities in Silvaner--I'll certainly keep an open mind (and available palate) . . .

I lived in Wuerzberg for about a year before moving to Heidelberg. I never liked Frankenwein as well as Rieslings from the Rheingau or Mosel-Saar-Ruwer but I do remember Burgerspital and Juliusspital as two of the best producers and Iphofer as a village wine I occasionally consumed. Do they still use the green bock bottles (squatty shape)?

JC,
Most producers still do use the traditional Bocksbeutel. I've seen one or two wines in burgundy bottles, but QmP and QbA wines must be bottled in Bocksbeutel.

Thanks for the answer Bill.

I've seen one or two wines in burgundy bottles, but QmP and QbA wines must be bottled in Bocksbeutel.

The wines I saw in burgundy bottles had all spent time in barrique, including some QmPs for grapes for which I presume the rules allow the use of oak without losing Qualitätswein/Prädikatswein status (for example, Weissburgunder and Spätburgunder). And the QbA liter wines were just in the normal tall liter bottles.

I have never had a wine so clearly transform and enhance a food as did the Bürgerspital below. Wow. Very decent trocken rieslings as well -- but my excitement was mainly centered on the new discovery of Silvaner.

2006 Bürgerspital Würzburger Stein Franken Silvaner Kabinett Trocken (Franken, Germany) 12.5% - . not at all shabby for 16 euro off the winelist

Bürgerspital did great stuff in 2006 - Helmut Plunien, the then Director (who now started in 2007 at the Bischöflische Weingüter Trier) made some stunners. Also because ha avoided to produce 14% + wines.

The Stein Silvaner Kabinett is E9 ex-cellar and it is well worth it.

A side-question: what is a trio of Nürnberger sausages? I only know Nürnberger or Fränkische ...

Indeed, 9 euro makes it quite a value.

A side-question: what is a trio of Nürnberger sausages? I only know Nürnberger or Fränkische ...

In this case, an assembly of Nürnberger Rostbratwürste, a Rauchwurst, and a minipot of sauer Zipfel--had it at the Bocksbeutelstube, a very casual place in Nürnberg with, for some reason, very well-dressed patrons as well as very delicious food.

OK, now I am with you regarding Nürnberger. Should you go more often to Franken:

- best Rostbratwürste are at Herzle (my favourite - only for locals, they don't speak English) (http://www.bratwurstherzle.de), Brawursthäusle (http://die-nuernberger-bratwurst.de/index.php?id=5) and http://www.bratwurstkueche.de

Should you ever go to visit the Castell Estate in Castell, they have a little restaurant next to the winery where they serve the best saure Zipfel that I ever had.

Excellent. Thanks for the recs. My first attempt at the Nürnberger Rostbratwurst was a flop at Bratwurst Röslein, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone. The Bocksbeutelstube represented much better, but, frankly (a sad pun on too many levels) Regensburg is still ahead in the sausage sweepstakes for me. Hopefully I can try again at the establishments you listed--sounds great.

While most early reports of the 2007 vintage in Germany are incredibly optimistic, I haven't gotten much info on Franken.

Just posted something here.

[David M. Bueker]

FYI - there are QbA Frankenwein in Bordeaux style bottles for sale in the USA.

FYI - there are QbA Frankenwein in Bordeaux style bottles for sale in the USA.

Which? I've only seen the big bulk producers do it.

[David M. Bueker]

FYI - there are QbA Frankenwein in Bordeaux style bottles for sale in the USA.

Which? I've only seen the big bulk producers do it.

I'm pretty sure it was Wirsching, but I'm not positive.

many franken producers have now adopted the bordeaux and burgundy bottles next to the classical litre and bocksbeutel ones:

While the burgundy bottles usually indicate either red or white pinot grapes or that some oak was at play (major exception, the luxury bottling BT by Juliusspital), the picture is less clear when one faces a white wine in a bordeaux bottle.

- Wirsching uses it for his St-Veit (a QbA blend) and his Wyquem (noble-rot affected sweet barrique-aged cuvée)
- Castell uses it for its Edition Graf Ferdinand, an expensive range of QbA bottlings that should show the best from each of its vineyards
- etc.

Litre bottlings are usually négociant stuff (also at Horst Sauer) and usually come in a burgundy form (Wirsching, Ruck, Sauer, Am Lump, Juliusspital, Schloss Sommerhausen, etc.) ... except at Castell, where a Bordeaux shape is used

It's all very simple isn't it?

Jean,
I don't want to hijack the thread but your mentioning of the Bürgerspital reminded me that I have a single bottle of the 2005 Bürgerspital Würzburger Stein GG.
Could you give me any hint when to try it?

Thanks and best regards, Robert

That's the Hagemann, right? Had it three months ago. Far too young and mightiful. Was much better on day three. Monster stuff but very good.

Pardon my ignorance, Robert and Jean, but is this 2005 Bürgerspital Würzburger Stein GG you are discussing a riesling or a silvaner?

Pardon my ignorance, Robert and Jean, but is this 2005 Bürgerspital Würzburger Stein GG you are discussing a riesling or a silvaner?

Yes you are right, I was maybe too quick. I referred to the Riesling one (made from the single parcel Hagemann in the central part of the vineyard just above the railway station). There is also a Stein Silvaner GG (made from very old clones and vines).

I thought Wirsching was offering most of his range in Bordeaux or Burgundy bottles to the U.S. importer and that shops could choose. No?

The Fish wrote:

Yes you are right, I was maybe too quick. I referred to the Riesling one (made from the single parcel Hagemann in the central part of the vineyard just above the railway station). There is also a Stein Silvaner GG (made from very old clones and vines).

Jean and Keith,
I was talking about the Silvaner Spätlese.

Thanks, Robert

Rob, never had the Silvaner - sorry.