Location and History
Fahr is a district of the town of Volkach in Bavaria and lies on the River Main in the Volkach Mainschleife. The locality is assigned to the region Franconia. Fahr was first mentioned in a document in 1188; even then there were references to viticulture. Agriculture and viticulture shaped the development, while the crossing of the Main and the ferry point supported the transport of people and goods.
Vineyard Sites and Natural Landscape
The vineyards around Fahr belong to the site Ratsherr, which stretches along the Main between Fahr and Volkach. The Fahrner section covers around 90 hectares. The slopes, which are predominantly south-facing, have gradients of about 25 to 40 per cent; a steeper area reaches up to 65 per cent.
Climate and Viticulture History
The narrow Main valley and the proximity to the river create a sheltered, warm local climate in the Ratsherr vineyards. Rainfall is relatively low because rain clouds from the Spessart are often kept at bay. The soils consist of skeletal-rich shell limestone with a thin, sandy layer of loam. Viticulture has been documented in this area at least since 906; the present-day Ratsherr site was created in 1971 by merging several earlier vineyard sites in the cadastral districts of Fahr and Volkach. Under wine law, Ratsherr is located within the Großlage Kirchberg in the area of the Volkach Mainschleife.
