It’s something like the awarding of the Oscars for Franconian viticulture. Once a year, the Franconian Winegrowers Association awards the title “Best of Gold”. 370 wines from 80 wineries were available in 2022. They were all tasted “blind”. The members of the jury could not see the labels when trying them. Now the winners are certain. Once again there are a few surprises.
Wineries awarded “Best of Gold” for the first time
For the first time, one of the titles went to Winzerhof Kieselsmühle in Dettelbach (Kitzingen district). Petra and Werner Schmitt run their winery together with their daughter Anna-Lena as a sideline. “You’re just proud because the work you do is appreciated,” says Petra Schmitt. Her 2021 Riesling Spätlese was awarded by the Dettelbacher Sonnenleite. The Riesling prevailed among the white wines in the “Fruit” category.
For the first time, the Hofmann winery from Ipsheim (Neustadt ad Aisch-Bad Windsheim district) was among the prizewinners. The winery won with a 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, a red wine variety. “Actually, we didn’t expect it at all,” says Stefanie Weid, who accepted the title on behalf of her brother. He was traveling that day. The wineries only receive the information that they are among the winners in the late afternoon. The award ceremony will take place the same evening.
Winzer repeatedly successful at awards
For other wineries, the award ceremonies of the winegrowers’ association are already “routine”. Among the winners in 2022, for example, is the Horst Sauer winery from Escherndorf (Kitzingen district), one of the best-known along the Main loop. The Höfling winery from Eußenheim (Main-Spessart district) is also among the prizewinners for the fifth time.
Still others were able to confirm their success in the last award this time. For the second time in a row, the association has awarded the Josef Walter winery from Bürgstadt (Miltenberg district) – for a Frühburgunder from 2016. The Geßner winery from Garstadt (Schweinfurt district) was also among the prizewinners for the second time. “The wine comes from a location that you didn’t even want to touch with pliers 20 years ago,” said winemaker Marco Gessner about the Silvaner, with which he and his father were successful.
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