Location and landscape
Himmelstadt lies on the Main in the Mainfränkischen Platten. The municipality stretches on both sides of the river, while the vineyards are located on the right bank of the Main. The slopes consist mainly of Lower Muschelkalk with shallow Rendzina soils.
Viticulture in the Kelter
The Himmelstadter Kelter lies on the slopes above the Main valley and covers about 35 hectares. In the site, the Bayerische Landesanstalt für Weinbau und Gartenbau operates a large viticultural experimental plot. Müller-Thurgau is the most important documented grape variety; in addition, Bacchus, Silvaner, Scheurebe and Kerner are mentioned. The wine-growing site produces white wines and in recent years has also been used for red wine.
Climate and historic winegrowing
For the period 1961 to 1990, in the area comprising the Main valley slopes, an average annual temperature of 7.8 °C, an average annual precipitation of 628 millimetres and 169 frost-free days are given. Viticulture in Himmelstadt has been documented since the Middle Ages: A document from 12 April 1291 mentions ten Joch of vineyards. A description from 1791 recorded 400 Morgen of vineyards owned by the citizens. The former Himmelspforten monastery maintained its own wine cellar in Himmelstadt.
Legal classification of the wine
Himmelstadt belongs to the delimited geographical area of the protected designation of origin Franken. A single-vineyard name may, according to its specifications, be used only for certain grape varieties and for dry quality wines or wines with a Prädikat; the maximum permissible yield is 70 hectolitres per hectare.
