Hans Wirsching, Franconia, Germany
Three generations of Wirsching
Weingut Hans Wirsching VDP
Weingut Hans Wirsching is located in Iphofen, in the heart of Franken. The family-run winery has been making wine here since 1630. Since 2014, Andrea Wirsching (in the middle of the photo) has been in charge of the winery. The team consists of around 35 employees. Wirsching is one of the finest wineries in Franken and is known for truly gastronomic wines.
Other well-known wineries include Fürst and Bürgerspittal, both from Würzburg on the river Main. Wirsching is located a little further east, clearly cooler, with greater differences between day and night temperatures because there is no river.
Wirsching is a member of the VDP, the German association of quality wineries. Its specialty is dry white wine, with Silvaner as a major pillar.
Silvaner and other grapes
Silvaner is the white grape of Franken. It produces wines with beautiful white fruit (apple, pear, melon) like Chardonnay, but fruitier. Depending on the winemaker, it can be bone-dry and fresh, but also soft, round, and full-bodied (actually just like Chardonnay). Silvaner is not only grown in Franken, but this is where the finest come from.
Silvaner at Wirsching clearly expresses the rich character of Franken wine. The range extends from accessible Gutswein to refined Grosses Gewächs (GG, or Grand Cru). Riesling and Scheurebe also play an important role. What stands out about Wirsching is that all the wines have so-called Geschmeidigkeit, or suppleness. All the wines have a characteristic softness that makes them wonderfully drinkable and also highly versatile in gastronomic settings.
In addition, the winery also grows Bacchus, Müller-Thurgau (Rivaner), Weissburgunder, Chardonnay, and Grauburgunder. About fifteen percent of the wines are red. The emphasis is on Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder.
Vineyards around Iphofen
Wirsching cultivates around ninety hectares of vineyards in and around the village of Iphofen. Many of the older vines date back to the seventies and eighties. They now produce grapes for the important Erste Lage and Grosses Gewächs wines.
The characteristic Keuper soil consists of clay limestone with gypsum veins and mineral-rich chunks. This soil contributes to powerful, full-bodied wines. Wirsching makes wines from 3 'Bergen', or hills:
- Julius-Echter-Berg
- Kronsberg
- Kalb
Julius-Echter-Berg
The Julius-Echter-Berg is located on the southwestern flank of the Schwanberg. This top vineyard faces south and has particularly steep sections. At the top, the slope locally reaches sixty percent!
The soil contains Keuper with layers of gypsum. But also many minerals, most of all the Lagen of Wirsching. The Grosses Gewächs wines come from the upper part. These wines are characterized by concentration, spiciness, and mineral tension. They often need a lot of time to fully develop.
Kronsberg and Kammer
The Kronsberg (1e Lage or Premier Cru) also has Keuper soil and a southern location. Air currents from the eastern forests provide cooling here. The wines stand out for their fine fruit, harmony, and elegance.
In the middle of the Kronsberg lies the historic Kammer vineyard. This vineyard was mentioned as early as the fifteenth century. Wirsching exclusively makes Grosses Gewächs from Silvaner and Riesling here.
Kalb
Kalb is the third hill where Wirsching has vineyards. This is also a 1e Lage with Keuper soil. But here the soil contains the fewest minerals. This results in very accessible wines without becoming too simple.
Sustainability and biodiversity
Wirsching is certified by FAIR’N GREEN. This seal includes environmental protection, social business management, and corporate social responsibility.
Vegetation between the vines helps protect the soil from drying out. The winery also participates in the AmBiTo biodiversity project. In doing so, Wirsching works together with researchers from the renowned University of Geisenheim.
Great attention to every vine
The team pays great attention to pruning and leaf management. This keeps the balance between leaves and grapes. The leaves produce sugars that are transported to the grapes. So, in principle, the more leaves, the more sugar. Through clever pruning, a winemaker can keep the sugar content (and thus later the alcohol) under control. Leaves also protect vulnerable grapes from the bright sun.
Where necessary, the same plot is harvested several times (in French, this is called a trie). Each round, only grapes with the right ripeness are picked. After that, they go to the cellar as quickly and coolly as possible.
Depending on the wine being made, fermentation follows in stainless steel or large oak. Many wines appear in the characteristic, flattened Bocksbeutel bottle of Franken.
