Franz Keller

Wines in perfection - the winery Franz Keller "Schwarzer Adler".

The Franz Keller winery was created from the expansion of the restaurant business run by the Keller family. The aim of the family was to produce wines that are the perfect accompaniment to their food in the restaurant. In the vineyard, just like in the kitchen, perfection is strived for through conscientious, hard work.

The terroir of the vineyards managed by the Keller family is predestined for excellent wines. Situated northwest of Freiburg between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains, the 16 km long Kaiserstuhl offers ideal microclimatic conditions for viticulture. The region is one of the warmest in Germany: at an altitude of up to 600 metres, the vines enjoy an almost Mediterranean climate. The up to 30-metre-high limestone loess and clay deposits, which form layers on the volcanic weathering soils of the vineyard, act as an excellent water and heat reservoir.

In addition to traditional wine varieties such as Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Gewürztraminer, the winery also grows non-standard varieties such as Lemberger, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Franz Keller Winery is committed to environmentally friendly, gentle viticulture. This includes organic fertilisation of the soil and planting of the vines for a natural supply of humus to the plants. The vine plants are regularly thinned out in order to achieve a yield reduction, partly the grapes are selected green and divided. The harvesting of the ripe fruit takes place in traditional handicraft and in several stages. In this way, the health of the grapes is ensured, as well as a very good ripeness and thus the full taste of the grapes. Depending on the type of wine, it can fully unfold when aged in barrique or other wooden barrels and in modern steel tanks. The filigree, elegant wines from Franz Keller convince both the guests of the restaurant, which has been awarded a Michelin star since 1969, and wine connoisseurs around the world.