Hans Wirsching

Hans Wirsching

Hans Wirsching

Weingut Hans Wirsching, situated in the picturesque medieval town of Iphofen in Franconia, an hour and a half east of Frankfurt, is one of the top producers of Silvaner and Scheurebe in Germany. Now in its 14th generation, the Wirsching family, led by Andrea Wirsching, focuses on Silvaner (40%), the signature grape of the Franconian wine area. 20% of their vineyards are planted with Riesling, the classical German grape, and 7% with Scheurebe, a fruity, aromatic grape variety that first gained prominence in the 1950s. The balance is planted to white Pinot varieties, with a small percentage of red grapes as well.The Wirsching estate dates to 1630, when Hans Wirsching donated a vineyard to the Abbey at Ebrach. Over the next several centuries, the Wirschings continued their love for, and involvement in, the business of agriculture and wine growing. In the late 19th century, the family almost gave up winemaking as the phylloxera louse devastated the European wine industry. It was a young Hans Wirsching who, in 1918 at age 23 and returning from World War I, made the decision to put all his energy into restoring the vineyards. He not only restarted the winery, but also began the painstaking process of replanting the vineyards with American rootstock. The soils in this part of Franconia consist largely of “Keuper” or Jurassic Clay, a sediment stone from 220 million years ago, when dinosaurs walked through what was then swamps. Layers of Gypsum within that stone add an alkaloid which give the wines low to moderate acidity. The wines of Iphofen are full bodied with hints of herbaceous aromas and elegant fruit components.In the early 1950s, Hans Wirsching renewed his pioneering efforts, and along with Karl Fuhrmann at Pfeffingen, obtained Scheurebe cuttings from the Annaberg and transplanted them to the Kronsberg vineyard. We can credit both men for leading the charge in elevating Scheurebe, a hybrid of Riesling and Bukettrebe, whose aroma is sometimes reminiscent of blackcurrant, pink grapefruit or lychee. Wirsching is a member of the wine association VDP-Die Prädikatsweingüter. The VDP has very high production and quality standards which are as follows: VDP.Gutswein (estate), VDP.Ortswein (village), VDP Erste Lage (Premier Cru), VDP.Große Lage (Grand Cru). Wirsching is member of Fair N’Green, an organization that certifies growers for sustainable viticulture.

Wines from this producer


Commitment to Craft Wine

Commitment to Craft Wine

We are dedicated to craft wine. Real wine produced by real people in limited quantity, from the new generation of natural winemakers to the classic high-end Burgundians. Sorry, no industrial wine here!

Selling Wine is an Art, Just Like Making It

Selling Wine is an Art, Just Like Making It

We are not just another Direct-to-Consumer website. Actually, we don't sell directly to consumers at all, as we believe selling wine is an art. We don't want to replace it, rather just make it easier, so you can focus on the art.

The Trade Should Be as Liquid as Wine

The Trade Should Be as Liquid as Wine

We believe the trade should be as fluid as wine. Processes, information and transactions should flow as a fine wine, in and out of a Zalto glass. That's where a Digital Platform can help.

Winemakers First, Always

Winemakers First, Always

For the wine market to be healthy, firstly it must take care of the producers. We believe that the trade should be fair and transparent, across all channels, from the producer to the final consumer.

Stories

support
Need some help?
Email us at

2022 ©Vintners. All rights reserved