Location and classification
Mainleite is an officially registered vineyard site in the municipality of Waigolshausen. The registered parcels are located in the municipal districts of Hergolshausen and Theilheim. The vineyard site belongs to the Franconia wine-growing region Franken and to the area of Volkacher Mainschleife. In addition, Mainleite is listed in the Großlage of Volkacher Kirchberg.
Topography and natural conditions
The vineyards face south to south-east. For the sites, slope gradients of 15 to 30 per cent are given. The soils in the area of Theilheim and Hergolshausen are described as shell limestone soils and are suitable for wine-growing. The vineyard sites are located in the Maingau climate zone, which locally is characterised as one of the warmer wine-growing zones in Germany.
Area and grape varieties
The specified area under vine was a total of 18 hectares in 1993 and a total of 13 hectares in 2017. The most important grape varieties mentioned are Bacchus and Müller-Thurgau.
Viticulture and marketing
Since the 1970s, the wine from the vineyard sites of Theilheim and Hergolshausen has been marketed jointly under the name Theilheimer Mainleite. In Hergolshausen, the area under vine was not included in the land consolidation (Flurbereinigung) carried out there for larger wine-growing areas. The wine-growing landscape there consists of smaller vineyard parcels bounded by hedges and shrubs; traditional winegrowers’ huts are still present.
