New University Wine: Science Meets Wine Culture
02/24/2025The University of Würzburg and the winery Staatlicher Hofkeller presented their first joint University Wine (UniWein) today. The Silvaner is now available in the Staatlicher Hofkeller and in selected specialist shops.
The "UniWein 2024" marks the launch of an annual limited collector's edition. It starts with a Silvaner, a grape variety that is typical of the Franconia wine-growing region. The UniWein impresses with its aromatic and modern style. Each edition features an important building of Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) on its label, thus honouring its architectural history and roots in the city of Würzburg. The motif of the UniWein 2024 shows the historic Old University and the former University church Neubaukirche.
The UniWein is the result of a collaboration between the Würzburg winery Staatlicher Hofkeller and the university. Together with his team, winery director Thilo Heuft took care of the grape harvest, pressing and ageing of the wine. "The UniWein epitomises the combination of academic excellence with a centuries-old Franconian tradition," said Heuft at the presentation of the project. "We are very proud of this successful collector's item and wish everyone an enjoyable experience."
Historical Background: Julius Echter's Vineyards
The university is also linked to Würzburg's wine culture by a long tradition: in order to financially secure his university, Würzburg's Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn endowed the university with a considerable amount of land from 1582. In addition to meadows, fields and forests, the university also owned many vineyards. In 1814, the Bavarian state took over the Würzburg area and quickly withdrew the university's sovereign rights. The university's highly fragmented land and property holdings were cleared up in 1821 through a comprehensive exchange with the state. In the process, the university lost all of its vineyards.
Over the past decades, JMU has repeatedly brought university wines onto the market with partners from the winegrowing industry. This was the case, for example, for its 600th anniversary celebrations in 2002. The last university wine was presented in 2018.
The Silvaner is now available at the Staatlicher Hofkeller and in selected shops.
