Franken

Prior to reunification, Franken was the most eastern of Germany's wine producing regions. It is situated on the hilly slopes found around the Main River. The city of Würzburg is the main city of the region and home of the famous Stein vineyard from which "Steinwein" (a name formerly used for all of Franken's wines) got its name. The wines of this region are bottled in a special green bottle called a 'bocksbeutel.' Wines from this region are regarded as the most forward, or masculine, of Germany's wines. They tend to be drier and often have earthy full-bodied aspects. The major grapes of the region are Müller-Thurgau and Silvaner.