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Franconia · Sub-regions

Volkacher Mainschleife

The Main loop between Volkach and Schwarzach is Franconia's densest wine district. The Escherndorfer Lump – a steep shell-limestone amphitheatre – yields world-class Silvaner and Riesling from Horst Sauer, Rainer Sauer, Egon Schäffer and Michael Fröhlich; Nordheim and Sommerach are winegrowing villages with cooperative tradition.

124Wineries

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Grape Varieties

Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau

Riesling, Bacchus, Spätburgunder

Most Famous Site

Escherndorfer Lump

Vineyard Area

1.300 ha

TERROIR PROFILE · Franconia

Volkacher Mainschleife Limestone amphitheatre at the Lump

Volkach Main loop: ripe, dense Silvaner and Riesling from the limestone rock of the Lump.

☀ Warm · Dry · Sunny⛰ Slope: steepSilvanerRieslingMüller-ThurgauBacchus

What is terroir? →

SOILS

Muschelkalk limestoneprecise, salty-mineral

Muschelkalk yields a crisp mineral acidity and salty depth.

Loessround, fruity, full

Loess stores water and nutrients. Wines tend to be rounder, juicier and fuller.

Loambody-rich, velvety

Loamy soils give wines volume and a soft, velvety mouthfeel.

CLIMATE · Warm · Dry · Sunny

The Volkach Main loop lies in the Main valley of Lower Franconia. The slopes on the inside of the loop are shielded from cold north winds; the climate is continental, with warm summers and cold winters.

TOPOGRAPHY · steep

The Escherndorfer Lump sits on the inside of the loop and opens like an amphitheatre to the south and southwest, with gradients of up to about 65 percent. Around Nordheim and Sommerach the sites are gentler.

WHAT IT MEANS IN THE GLASS

ripecreamy-densechalky mineralityyellow fruit

Typical Flavours of the Region

Region aroma cloud

QuincePearFresh peasHerbsWalnutNutmegElderflowerApplePeachCitrusApricotJasmineSlatePetrol (with age)GooseberryBlackcurrantMangoCherry

→ Aroma wheel and variety profiles

Franconia overview

This sub-region is part of Franconia. The map shows all 4 sub-regions — Volkacher Mainschleife is highlighted.

Overview

Wineries124

Detailed profiles35

Typical Varieties

Silvaner

Müller-Thurgau

Riesling

Bacchus

Spätburgunder

Terroir & Climate

Wine Character

The Volkach Main Loop lies in the Maindreieck area of Lower Franconia, where the Main describes a wide bend between Volkach and Schwarzach. Around the loop stand wine villages such as Volkach, Escherndorf, Nordheim and Sommerach, where viticulture has shaped the villages and landscape for centuries. The slopes fall towards the river; at the Escherndorfer Lump they form a steep, south-facing amphitheatre.

The soils belong mostly to the Muschelkalk (shell limestone); at the Lump the limestone rock is almost bare, while lower down loam and loess cover occur. The climate is continental, with warm, comparatively dry summers and cold winters; the river and the south-facing slopes provide favourable ripening conditions, although late frosts remain a risk.

Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau traditionally set the tone, joined by Riesling, Bacchus and Spätburgunder. The wines are mostly dry, mineral and firmly structured; Silvaner from Muschelkalk is regarded as the region's signature wine. Alongside family-run estates, cooperatives shape the area, for example in Nordheim and Sommerach.

Soil Type

Shell limestone, almost pure limestone rock at the Lump

Climate

Continental, with warm, relatively dry summers and cold winters; the Main moderates temperatures, late frosts remain a risk.

Top sites & producers

10 sites

The most important classified single vineyards in the region. Classification per VDP (German Prädikat Wine Estates Association) and traditional vineyard registers.

By place (10)

Volkacher Mainschleife10 entries

Dettelbacher Berg-RondellEscherndorfer Am Lumpen 1655Escherndorfer FürstenbergEscherndorfer LumpNordheimer KreuzbergNordheimer VögeleinSommeracher KatzenkopfSommeracher RosenbergVolkacher KarthäuserVolkacher Ratsherr

Sources: VDP, state vineyard registers, Wikipedia vineyard articles, traditional vineyard literature.

Top profiles

35 detailed profiles — all filterable in the list below

Weingut Horst Sauer

Franken · Volkacher Mainschleife · Volkach

Volkacher Mainschleife

Volkacher Mainschleife Limestone amphitheatre at the Lump

Typical Flavours of the Region

Silvaner

Müller-Thurgau

Riesling

Bacchus

Spätburgunder

Franconia overview

Overview

Typical Varieties

Terroir & Climate

Wine Character

Soil Type

Climate

Top sites & producers

By place (10)

Top profiles

Weingut Horst Sauer

Weingut Rainer Sauer

Weingut Max Müller

Weingut Glaser

Divino Nordheim Thüngersheim

Weingut Egon Schäffer

All Wineries

Weingut Horst Sauer

Weingut Rainer Sauer

Weingut Max Müller

Weingut Glaser

Divino Nordheim Thüngersheim

Weingut Egon Schäffer

Weingut Stefan Sauer

Weingut Michael Fröhlich

Öko-Weingut Zang

Weingut Mößlein

Weingut Kram

Weingut Markus Schneider

Weingut Karl Müller

Weingut Lother

Weingut Roman Sauer

Weingut Roman Schneider

Weingut Rudolf

Weingut Schmitt

Events in Franconia

Open Cellar Night Würzburg

VDP.Weinbörse Mainz

Mainfranken Wine Spring Würzburg

Randersacker Wine Festival

Iphofen Wine Festival

Escherndorf Wine Festival

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Volkacher Mainschleife?

What is the Escherndorfer Lump?

Which wines are typical of the Mainschleife?

Which grape varieties define Volkacher Mainschleife?

What does the terroir of Volkacher Mainschleife taste like?

How many wineries are there in Volkacher Mainschleife?

All wineries in Volkacher Mainschleife, A to Z

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