"There were already a few winegrowers and wineries in Sommerhausen with the name Steinmann," says Pauline, explaining the reason for the name. "We didn't just want to distinguish ourselves from the others by our first names." They also thought that this name would arouse more curiosity. Just like the logo and the labels, which were developed together with local designer Alexandra Maiwald.

The task for the logo: how to unite three sisters, former wine princesses of Sommerhausen, and the symbol of Franconian wine culture? The result: a three-pointed Bocksbeutel (special wine bottle) crown.

Speaking of three sisters. "We are very family-orientated, but our third sister Viktoria has been living and working with her own family in Tajikistan for some time," explains Anna. "When she comes home, she lends a hand everywhere."

Wines that stand out

For the labels, the decision was made to use picturesque motifs from the Romantic period, which have a modern look thanks to a bright monochrome colour scheme and feature the lettering WIR LIEBEN ‘WE LOVE’, followed by names such as GEORG for the Scheurebe or NOAH for the Muskateller.

‘We put so much love and passion into each of our wines that we wanted to give them names,’ explains Pauline. It started with Georg, as the breeder of the Scheurebe was called Georg Scheu. The Muskateller is called Noah, as the variety is considered to be one of the oldest vines that Noah could have taken with him on his ark. ‘We made our own men,’ laughs Pauline. ’The customers think it's great.’

Just like the wines. They are typical of the variety, occasionally semi-dry and have a moderate alcohol content. ‘We prefer to make lighter wines that are fun to drink, which is also the trend,’ says Anna.

Her first own wine was also lightweight. The first vines were harvested in 2018 and the yield of 50 litres was matured in small glass balloons. ‘It was divided among friends who had replanted the vineyard with us in 2016,’ Pauline looks back and eats a slice of cheesecake in her favourite restaurant, Leni's Café und Weinstube, in the Sommerhauser street Maingasse.

The modern and cosy meeting place offers home-baked cakes, cinnamon buns, warm snacks and regional wines. When it is closed, head to the ‘Caféhaus Schatztruhe’ in Hauptstraße. This café with its cosy grandma-style interior and delicious cakes is located in a listed two-storey building with a hipped roof, half-timbered upper floor and an extension with a gabled roof from the 18th century. A few metres further on, the ‘Eisgold’ ice cream parlour offers homemade ice cream and sorbet specialities, and not just in the summer months.

Sustainability in Practice

Then it's time for a visit to the sisters' vineyards. The 3.5 hectares are located in the sun-drenched Sommerhäuser sites of Ölspiel, Steinbach and Reifenstein, mostly on hillsides with a gradient of up to 40 per cent.

„We have typical old, rediscovered and new Franconian varieties here,’ explains Pauline. These include the first small vineyard of their own with the ‘Alter Fränkischer Satz’, a blend of sixteen ancient white and red regional varieties, which are sold as a cuvée under the name JOHANN.

„We have typical old, rediscovered and new Franconian varieties here“

The range also includes two different Silvaner, Bacchus, Müller-Thurgau, Scheurebe, Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller, Traminer, Pinot Noir, Rotling and rosé; a Pinot Blanc will be added soon. In winter, the so-called Glühschoppen (mulled wine) in red and white complement the range and heat things up nicely.

But back to the vineyards. Every second row of the sisters' vines is planted with flowering plants and herbs. ‘This not only creates a protected habitat for insects and small animals, but also promotes the soil quality of our shell limestone slopes and prevents possible soil erosion caused by heavy rainfall, for example,’ explains Pauline, who worked at the sustainably certified Austrian winery Eitzinger in Kamptal during her training as a winemaker.

Photovoltaics und PIWIs

Anna gained experience at the biodynamic winery Bernhard Ott in the Wagram region. "The organic concept is an important part of our way of working," says Pauline. For example, the pomace is stored and used as fertiliser in the vineyards in spring.

The stainless steel tanks in the former building of the local bank, which the sisters bought and renovated in 2021 and opened as the winery's headquarters in September 2023, are cooled with water that is collected and reused. A heat pump has already been installed and photovoltaics will soon be added.

The sisters' next wine project? In neighbouring Winterhausen, where it is actually a little cooler, around 0.5 hectares of vineyards will be leased in 2024 and planted with so-called PIWIs. These are grapes that are particularly resistant to fungal diseases. With these fungus-resistant varieties, up to 80 per cent of pesticides can be saved.

Enjoying on the Go

Another idea from Pauline and Anna during the lockdown also proved to be a stroke of luck: the ‘Steinmanns daughters winemaker picnic’. It usually includes a bottle of wine, a small bottle of Secco, a bottle of water and fruit from the family's own gardens, sausage, cheese and bread, all from the region.

Homemade spreads and vegetarian or vegan alternatives are also available. With their rucksack packed, visitors can take a leisurely walk through the vineyards, stroll through the town with its medieval city walls or take a cycle tour along the river Main.

After the lockdown, guests were catered for in the so called Heckenwirtschaft, a small restaurant run by winemakers, open seasonally, where the producers market their own wine directly. This was so well received that the sisters would like to open a small restaurant in the winery in summer 2024.

‘Small’ in this case means catering for 20 guests inside and up to 50 visitors on the terrace. "We will then offer a small standard menu, two to three changing hot, seasonal and regional dishes as well as homemade cakes," announces Pauline.

Sommerhausen Sightseeing

A visit to the gate tower theatre in the archway of the Würzburg Gate in Sommerhausen is well worth it, we learn. It is considered the smallest theatre in Germany. From 1975, it became nationally known thanks to premieres and first performances by actor, director and painter Veit Relin and because of a high-quality, un extraordinary programme.

Today, Veit Relin's widow Angelika runs the theatre, where you sit on silk cushions on the few rows of chairs directly above the street in the tower. The programme includes light-hearted, often bizarre and blackly humorous, but also serious plays. In any case, Angelika Relin promises that visitors can expect sophisticated, lively theatre.

Thanks to sponsoring, the Sommerhaus theatre in Kirchgasse has been putting on a full programme and varied plays for around 20 years. For once, Pauline and Anna don't play a role!

Gourmet Tips from Anna and Pauline

The two ‘daughters’ spend their rare free time with their dachshund or with their amateur ladies' football team. Or they eat Franconian sausages, preferably with mashed potatoes, for example in the hotel restaurant ‘Zum Goldenen Ochsen’ in the main street.

The house was built in the 16th century and was mentioned in the local chronicles as an inn under its current name as early as 1704. The overnight guests at that time included dukes and princes. That has changed, as has the menu. The restaurant now serves mainly regional dishes and has been awarded the ‘Franconian cuisine’ and ‘Bavarian cuisine’ badges of honour.

In summer, people meet in the bar ‘Die 19’, directly in front of the adjoining hotel ‘Sonnenhöfle’ on the main street, for wine, cocktails and tapas. Part of the hotel was built over 450 years ago and is a listed building.

The wine shop ‘Der Keller 1565’ in the hotel's historic vaulted cellar offers wine, sparkling wine, spirits, wine jellies, honey and mustard, all from regional producers. Another tip is the nearby ‘Restaurant Philipp’. This small gourmet restaurant has held a Michelin star for around 20 years for its seasonal dishes inspired by French cuisine.

Finally, a few event tips from Steinmann's daughters: In May, June and August there are very well-attended wine festivals, in September there is a pottery market and on the first weekend in October the Sommerhauser Kirchweih (parish fair) takes place with dancing and parades.

Those travelling by motorhome can take advantage of another idea from Steinmann's daughters: A few minutes from the banks of the Main river and the town centre, they offer twenty beautiful pitches all year round with everything you need.