Location and Climate
Hundsrück lies in Bürgstadt in the region Franconia, on the eastern part of the Bürgstadt hill in the Miltenberg valley, on a bend in the Main River oriented to the south-west. The south-facing, convex slope has a gradient of around 35 to 40 percent and lies at roughly 170 to 230 metres above sea level. The Odenwald and Spessart protect the area; the Main River contributes to heat-storing effects further along the Bürgstadt hill.
Soil and Cultivation
The subsoil consists of weathered red Bunter sandstone with iron-containing, crumbly red rock layers. The shallow, stony soil is well aerated, warms up quickly and drains well. Terrace plots are farmed by hand from vine pruning through to harvest. Alongside old Pinot Noir vines, there are densely planted new plots with up to 17,000 vines per hectare.
Classification and History
In the VDP, Hundsrück is classified as VDP.GROSSE LAGE® within the Franconian wine-growing region. The classified area covers 10.99 hectares; the grape variety stated is Pinot Noir. The site was mentioned in 1525 as a small and steep neighbouring plot of the Centgrafenberg, was classified for tax purposes in 1564, and was upgraded to a top site in 1688. After the 1971 reform of wine law, it was incorporated into the designation Centgrafenberg and in 2010 was officially entered again as a separate vineyard site.
Pinot Noir
The site is associated with Pinot Noir, which is described by finesse, elegance, minerality and structural power rather than opulence. A documented Pinot Noir from Hundsrück was aged for two years in new barriques made from locally sourced Spessart oak.
