Location and landscape
The Sommerleite lies to the east of Machtilshausen, a district of Elfershausen in Bavaria. The vineyard is situated in a side valley of the Saale, at the northern edge of the Franconian wine-growing region.
Historic vineyard structure
The historic vineyard is characterised by a south-facing, amphitheatrical position with extreme gradient. Irregularly terraced plots have been preserved; the terrace walls are made of precisely worked blocks of shell limestone. The historic planting covers around 800 square metres and was planted around 1919.
Vines and cultivation
Documented varieties include Gutedel, Silvaner, Muscatel, Roter Elbling and Scheurebe, as well as other varieties that are not specified in more detail. Some vines are planted on their own roots. The vineyard is managed using natural permanent ground cover and sowings used for organic fertilisation. In 2014, three plots with vines were still maintained, while other former vineyard areas were again turned into dry grassland.
Wine and history
The mixed plantings are used for an Altfränkischer Satz. The wine from the Machtilshäuser Sommerleite is vinified at the Wallrapp winery in Theilheim. Viticulture at the site has been considered possible since Carolingian times; the existing terraces are assigned to modern times and are older than the documented renewal dates, the oldest of which dates from 1869. The Bavarian vineyard directory lists Sommerleite as an approved designation for vineyards for Elfershausen, district of Machtilshausen.
