VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Rieslaner, Scheurebe, Spaetburgunder, Domina104.2 haFounded 1128Freistaat Bayern (Bavarian state)Wuerzburg
Bavaria's state wine estate, tracing its own history to 1128, farms 104.2 hectares across Muschelkalk, Keuper and Buntsandstein sites including the Wuerzburger Stein-Berg.
Tasting: Sales and events desks at the Rosenbachpalais on Residenzplatz, adjoining the Wuerzburg Residence cellars.
Tip: The cellars sit beneath the Wuerzburg Residence, a UNESCO site, so pair a tasting with the palace tour.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, Riesling, Bacchus, Scheurebe, Weissburgunder, Spaetburgunder21.5 haMagdalena and Horst SauerWinemaker Sandra SauerEscherndorf
Escherndorf specialist farming 21.5 hectares including the VDP.Grosse Lage Am Lumpen 1655, with Silvaner and Riesling from the steep, south-facing Lump slope.
Tasting: Tastings for groups up to 28 by appointment; walk-in sales during posted weekday and Saturday hours.
Tip: The Escherndorfer Lump gradient runs 40 to 60 percent, so the estate's Grosses Gewaechs bottlings reward a decant.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, Weissburgunder, Riesling, Bacchus, Scheurebe, Grauburgunder, Spaetburgunder, Rieslaner73.4 haCastell
The Steigerwald's founding Silvaner estate on gypsum keuper, site of the earliest documented Franconian Silvaner planting on 6 April 1659, farming 73.4 hectares today.
Tasting: Vinothek tastings and cellar tours at the Schlossplatz estate office.
Tip: The estate's own records cite 25 vines planted in 1659, ask staff to point out the historical planting documentation.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Scheurebe, Chardonnay, Spaetburgunder43.3 haSandra and Ludwig KnollWinemaker Ludwig KnollRespekt CertifiedNATURLAND CERTIFIEDWuerzburg
Naturland and Respekt-BIODYN certified Wuerzburg estate farming 43.3 hectares on the Stettener Stein and Wuerzburger Stein, with Silvaner and Riesling as declared mainstays.
Tasting: Vinothek and garden tastings at the Mittlerer Steinbergweg estate.
Tip: The Stettener Stein VDP.Grosse Lage bottlings need hand cultivation on shell-limestone slopes; ask which vintage is currently pouring.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Spaetburgunder, Scheurebe, Traminer11.4 haFounded 1976Carmen, Reimund and Matthias StumpfFrickenhausen am Main
Frickenhausen am Main estate combining two Franconian growing families since 1976, farming 11.4 hectares of Muschelkalk and Buntsandstein terroir with Silvaner leading at 60 percent.
Tasting: Cellar-door sales and tastings, family-run since the 1976 Bickel-Stumpf merger.
Tip: Some VDP.Erste and Grosse Lage plots are still worked by hand; ask about the current single-site bottlings.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder, Scheurebe, Spaetburgunder108.5 haFounded 1630Wirsching familyIphofen
Iphofen family estate farming 108.5 hectares of Steigerwald gypsum keuper since 1630, with Silvaner and Riesling from the Julius-Echter-Berg Grosse Lage.
Tasting: Vinothek tastings on Ludwigstrasse in Iphofen's old town; group visits by appointment.
Tip: Silvaner and Riesling are described by the estate as its calling cards; start a tasting there before the Scheurebe.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Spaetburgunder, Weissburgunder, Domina, Bacchus, Scheurebe, Rieslaner13.2 haMartin SchmittRandersacker
Ten-generation Randersacker family estate farming 13.2 hectares of shell-limestone Sonnenstuhl, Marsberg and Pfuelben sites, with Silvaner leading the range.
Tasting: Weekday and Saturday cellar-door sales in Randersacker.
Tip: Randersacker's Sonnenstuhl site runs 50 hectares total; ask which parcel the current Grosses Gewaechs comes from.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Weissburgunder, Riesling, Scheurebe19.7 haFounded 1692Mueller family (Rainer and Christian Mueller)Volkach
Volkach estate dating to 1692 and now run by the fourth Mueller generation, farming 19.7 hectares with Silvaner and Weissburgunder leading a dry, terroir-driven range.
Tasting: Cellar-door tastings in Volkach; fourth-generation family operation.
Tip: A VDP member only since 2021, the estate's Silvaner bottlings have drawn Eichelmann recognition; ask what is newly released.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, Riesling, Schwarzriesling, Weissburgunder, Bacchus, Scheurebe, Chardonnay5.8 haPeter and Sophie SchaefferEscherndorf
Small family estate on the Escherndorfer Lump, farming 5.8 hectares under Peter and Sophie Schaeffer since 2022, with Silvaner leading a dry Franconian range.
Tasting: Cellar-door sales in Volkach-Escherndorf, Monday to Saturday.
Tip: Recently planted Chardonnay is a new departure for the estate, worth asking about alongside the core Silvaner.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Spaetburgunder, Weissburgunder, Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Scheurebe, Bacchus9.0 haRandersacker
Randersacker family estate farming 9 hectares of Sonnenstuhl and neighbouring Muschelkalk sites, with Silvaner leading a low-intervention, naturally styled range.
Tasting: Weekday and Saturday cellar-door sales in Randersacker; Sunday by arrangement.
Tip: The estate's stated philosophy is that a wine's beauty should develop naturally, not be manufactured, reflected in a minimal-intervention cellar approach.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Spaetburgunder, Mueller-Thurgau, Scheurebe, Sauvignon Blanc9.4 haRoedelsee
Roedelsee estate on the Steigerwald's gypsum-keuper edge, farming 9.4 hectares at 60 percent Silvaner from the Hoheleite and Kuechenmeister sites, VDP member since 1993.
Tasting: Weekday and Saturday cellar-door sales in Roedelsee.
Tip: Ask for the Hoheleite Silvaner Grosses Gewaechs, a single-site bottling from the estate's home vineyard.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, Riesling, Spaetburgunder, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Scheurebe, Schwarzriesling14.3 haNordheim
Multi-generation family estate spanning Nordheim and Dettelbach, farming 14.3 hectares with Silvaner and Mueller-Thurgau leading, a VDP member since 1974.
Tasting: Cellar door in Nordheim plus a wine bar and guest house, Himmelstoss, in Dettelbach.
Tip: The Dettelbach Himmelstoss location combines a wine bar with the tasting room, useful for an evening stop.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Riesling, Spaetburgunder, Scheurebe, Weissburgunder, Muskateller9.7 haFounded 1435Sommerhausen
Estate dating to 1435 farming 9.7 hectares in Sommerhausen on the Main, with roughly 22 grape varieties planted and traditional-method bottle-fermented sparkling since 1982.
Tasting: Vinothek, Hofausschank wine tavern and cellar tours at the Sommerhausen schloss.
Tip: The estate has produced traditional-method sparkling wine since 1982; ask for a Sekt alongside the still Silvaner and Riesling.
VDP.WeingutSilvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, Scheurebe, Riesling, Spaetburgunder9.7 haFounded 1673Randersacker
Randersacker family estate since 1673, now in its twelfth generation, farming 9.7 hectares of limestone terroir with Silvaner leading at 35 percent.
Tasting: Cellar-door tastings and shop, Fair and Green sustainability certified, in Randersacker.
Tip: Twelve generations of continuous family ownership is unusual even by Franconian standards, ask about the estate's history on a visit.
VDP.WeingutMueller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Riesling, Bacchus, Weissburgunder, Kerner, Scheurebe11.0 haThomas SchwabWinemaker Thomas SchwabThuengersheim
Thuengersheim estate on the Buntsandstein-to-Muschelkalk transition, farming 11 hectares with Mueller-Thurgau and Silvaner leading, a VDP member since 1997 under Thomas Schwab.
Tasting: Tastings with cellar tours, guest rooms, and events hosting up to 70 people, Fair'n'Green certified.
Tip: The transition zone soil here differs from the pure Muschelkalk further downriver, giving the wines a distinct mineral edge worth asking about.
Silvaner, Riesling, Rieslaner, ScheurebeWalk-ins welcomeWuerzburg
Sales and tasting desk of Bavaria's state wine estate in the Rosenbachpalais on Residenzplatz, adjoining the cellar labyrinth beneath the Wuerzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981.
FrankenTraminer, Scheurebe, RieslanerSommerach
Fifth-generation Sommerach family estate working from an 18th-century courtyard, known for aromatic Traminer, Scheurebe and Rieslaner bottlings.
Tip: Look for the Scheurebe Sekt alongside the still wines; it is a less-common style for the estate's home village.