The Wirsching family has been growing grapes in Iphofen for many generations now. Since the 1960’s, Dr. Heinrich Wirsching, the patriarch of the family, has managed to turn a winery known only to insiders into the largest private wine estate in Franconia. The 90-hectare estate and the 30 full-time employees are now managed by his daughter, Andrea Wirsching.

The grapes are grown on the slopes of the Steigerwald, in the so-called “Keuper” strata of the “Franconian Triassic”, made up of clay sediments that were built up in a flat, swampy landscape when dinosaurs roamed the planet. The gypsum deposits were formed when the shallow pools dried up. The Keuper wines have a full-bodied minerality and a soft acidity, boasting herbaceous notes, a fine fruitiness and a long after-taste.

Silvaner, Riesling and Scheurebe are the most important wines grown on the estate. Burgundy varieties are becoming increasingly important as well, in a climate similar to that which prevailed 40 years ago in Burgundy itself. 90% of the wines are matured dry. The Wirsching Wine Estate has been a member of “Fair’n Green” since 2019. This organisation issues a certificate confirming compliance with sustainable practices in viticulture. The use of insecticides, herbicides and copper is completely avoided throughout the estate’s growing areas. “As a family business, we are well aware how important our efforts to sustain a healthy environment are for our children and our customers”, says Andrea Wirsching. The success of this quality-driven strategy has been rewarded with top accolades and high rankings at national and international tasting events.