Location and landscape
Ipsheim is located in the Windsheimer Bucht within the natural unit Mainfränkische Platten. The Aischtal valley adjoins the basin. The municipality lies on the edge of the Frankenhöhe Nature Park; below Hoheneck Castle there are vineyards overlooking the Windsheimer Bucht.
Vineyard sites and soils
The most important wine-growing area comprises south-facing slopes behind the Kesselberg, including Hohenecker Rangen, Höll and Sonnenberg. The newly arranged vineyard area extends over 28 hectares with slope inclines of about 20 to 45 per cent. In the vineyards, red clay and blue Keuper occur; at Burg Hoheneck tonier Gipskeuper is mentioned, and at the Weimersheimer Roter Berg Lösslehm.
Grape varieties and wine style
As part of the land consolidation in 1979, 120,000 vines were planted, including about 80 per cent Müller-Thurgau, 10 per cent Bacchus, and together 10 per cent Silvaner and Kerner. In Ipsheim, Grauburgunder, Riesling, Dornfelder and Regent are also grown. Wines from Burg Hoheneck and the Weimersheimer Roter Berg are described as clear and fresh, with fine acidity.
History and vineyard care
According to the municipality, wine-growing in Ipsheim has been established since the Middle Ages. Around the turn of the 20th century, only seven vineyards were recorded. In autumn 1979, a land consolidation began to improve access, water management, soil arrangements, choice of grape varieties and the wine-growing climate. This included, among other things, drainage of water, three retention basins, as well as plantings to counter cold-air drainage and wind erosion. On 6 May 2000, a symbolic European vineyard planting was carried out at Sonnenberg.
