Franconian wine characterizes the local population and its way of life.

 
In the cosy "Gaststuben" the visitor soon gets to know the friendly regulars. At the traditional wine festivals one quickly becomes a friend of the Franconian philosophy of life, which is marked by sociability and "joie de vivre." The widely known Franconian Wine is grown by about 6,500 wine growers on about 5,500 hectares of land.

 

The region is divided into three areas: Mainviereck (red new sandstone = red wine, mica slate = Riesling), Main-dreieck (Muschelkalk = Silvaner, Scheurebe), Steigerwald (Keuper, gypsum keuper = Müller Thurgau). The most common types of wine are Müller Thurgau (approx. 50%) and Silvaner (approx. 23%), followed a long way behind by Bacchus (approx. 9%), Kerner (approx. 5%) and Scheurebe (approx. 3%).

 

Franconian wine-growers participate in a stringent self-control process in order to guarantee the famous quality of Franconian wine. Its hallmark is a wide rounded bottle - the Bocksbeutel.

 

Franconia's cuisine presents itself as hearty as the region and people and goes well with Franconian wine or Franconian beer. One starts with a nourishing soup such as liver dumpling, potato, must or "wedding" soup. Typical main courses are roast pork or braised beef marinated in vinegar "Sauerbraten" with dumplings and olives, but of course international dishes are also served.

The Franconian specialities include Franconian "Wedding Dinner" (beef, noodles, horseradish), "Blaue Zipfel" (sausages cooked in stock), "Knöchle" (knuckle), or "Ripple" (ribs) with cabbage, homemade-style sausages and "Gerupfter" (a special way of preparing camembert cheese) and "Meefischli" (small fish from the Main).

 

A large number of seasonal dishes are also offered: September to April game (jugged hare), fish (trout, carp), May to June Franconian asparagus in all varieties, September to the beginning of November onion tart, ham sticks and Federweißer (new wine), plum cake, November/December poultry (Martin?s or Christmas goose).