Location and Landscape
Rück is a district of the market town of Elsenfeld in the Lower Franconian district of Miltenberg and lies in Franconia. The village is situated on the right bank of the Elsava at about 148 metres above sea level. The Elsava separates Rück from the neighbouring town of Schippach. The landscape is shaped by the Elsava valley, the heights of the Spessart and the foothills of the Odenwald.
Viticulture in Rück
The vineyard areas are mostly on weathered Buntsandstein. In the Bavarian vineyards directory, the sites Jesuitenberg, Johannisberg and Schalk are listed for Elsenfeld, cadastral district Rück, in the Churfranken area. From the vineyards, views extend towards the Spessart and the Odenwald.
Development of Viticulture
Historically, the tradition of viticulture was linked to the south-facing slopes of the Johannisberg and the Jesuitenberg near the former monastery of Himmelthal. Cold winters and years with late frosts affected wine-growing. A land consolidation of the vineyard areas began in 1972; for the municipality and surrounding area, 21 hectares of planted area were then stated, while the local chronicle for 1973 reported 22 newly developed hectares in Rück.
History and Marketing
Rück was first mentioned in records at around 1270 and was incorporated into the market town of Elsenfeld on 1 July 1971. Before the First World War, local winegrowers improved the access roads to the vineyards and removed large rocks by means of blasting. For many years, the Thüngersheim winegrowing cooperative processed and marketed most of the local grapes. After the municipality withdrew from viticulture in 1999, municipal vineyard plots were leased to winegrowers.
