©Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d'Alsace (CIVA)
Frankstein is a 56-hectare (138-acre) vineyard in the Alsace Grand Cru appellation. It is located in the commune of Dambach-la-Ville, in the Bas-Rhin sub-region of Alsace, and is among the most southerly of the Bas-Rhin grand crus.
Frankstein is situated in an area where Alsace's granite bedrock is particularly close to the surface. The topography here is characterized by large, rounded fingers of granite, which protrude out from the lower Vosges mountains – unaffected by the glaciation which has shaped most other parts of the region.
The Frankstein vineyard is divided between four distinct zones. The slopes face east-southeast, rising steeply from 722 to 755ft (220 to 230m) between the villages of Dieffenthal and Dambach-la-Ville. The soils, characterized by loose, free-draining granite sands, are particularly well-suited to Riesling and Gewürztraminer vines, but Pinot Gris and Muscat are also cultivated.
The Bernstein mountain shelters Frankstein's vines from Alsace's prevailing westerly winds. In addition, the granite-rich soils store and reflect the sun's heat captured by the site's favorable east-southeast aspects. Therefore, Frankstein has a warm mesoclimate ideal for grape ripening.
Frankstein's revered terroir has been fought over for centuries, with bishops in the 12th Century waging war over the site and its precious vines. In 1992, Frankstein gained its grand-cru status and today Beck-Hartweg and Domaine Schaeffer-Woerly number among its top producers.
