Location and municipality
Tauberrettersheim lies on the left bank of the Tauber in the south-west of Franconia and belongs to the Würzburg district in Lower Franconia, Bavaria. The municipality covers 8.56 square kilometres and is situated at 235 metres above sea level.
Königin vineyard site
The Königin vineyard site is the only single-site vineyard of Tauberrettersheim and comprises 45 hectares of vineyard area. It lies between 280 and 330 metres in altitude and has predominantly south-facing slopes with a gradient of 20 to 50 per cent. The soils consist of middle shell limestone and slope debris of Upper Shell Limestone.
Grape varieties and wines
In the Königin, the white grape varieties Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Bacchus, Kerner and Traminer are grown. The red varieties include Spätburgunder, Acolon, Domina, Tauberschwarz and Regent. The municipality describes the wines as aromatic, firm, lively and sustainable; Müller-Thurgau and Kerner are associated with a fine aroma.
History of viticulture
Viticulture in Tauberrettersheim has been documented since 1225, when a vineyard near the hamlet of Bolzhalden was recorded. A tax register from 1610 lists 46 winemaker families; around 1800, according to the historical chronology, there was more than 100 hectares of vineyard area. In the 19th and 20th centuries, vineyard area declined, among other things, due to losses caused by downy mildew. Land consolidation and a planned reconstruction took place in 1970 and 1979. Historically, between 1550 and 1600 the northern slopes were also expanded with vineyards. The Tauberschiller was created by pressing a mixture of white and red, or black, grapes and was not intended for long ageing.
