When I arrived at Weingut May in Retzstadt, I knew I was in for something special. But I didn’t realize I’d be stepping into pure chaos. Benedikt, who I had expected to take me on a relaxed vineyard tour, was in the middle of preparations for the upcoming harvest. 2024 promised to be a challenging year — unpredictable weather and the severe late frost in spring had decimated the vines, demanding his full attention. But that was just the beginning. At home, his wife and young child awaited him, and to top it off, their apartment was undergoing renovations. Stressful, to say the least — yet he greeted me with a smile.

Benedikt is a young man full of energy. He embodies everything you’d hope for in the next generation of a top winery: curiosity, drive, and an unwavering pursuit of perfection without forgetting his deep roots in Franconian soil. “Ready for a tour?” he asked. It seemed like nothing could faze him, even amid the chaos. With his laid-back manner, he took me on a tour of the vineyards — a welcome break for him and an unforgettable experience for me.

The May Vineyards: Where Wine Gains Character

Our route took us from Rothlauf to Benediktusberg, Langenberg, and finally up to Himmelspfad. These are resonant names that set any Silvaner lover’s heart racing. Each of these vineyards has its own story, its own character, which it imparts to the vines. It’s a symbiosis of man, nature, and tradition, lived out here in a truly impressive way.

Rothlauf

Rothlauf is the starting point of our tour and immediately offers something special: the plot is part of the Johannisberg site in Thüngersheim, known for its red soils, rich in iron. These iron oxides give the Silvaner grown here a distinctive minerality and a subtle spiciness. The vines are deeply rooted, enduring the barren conditions — a vineyard that lends structure and power to the wine. “Nothing grows here that isn’t really strong,” Benedikt says with an approving nod. Rothlauf produces Silvaners that are precise, focused, and full of energy — wines that don’t make a lot of noise but linger in your memory.

Benediktusberg

Next, we headed to Benediktusberg near Retzbach. This site is a kind of “holy place” for the Mays, and you can feel it. The soil here is different — dominated by shell limestone — and the old vines, some over 40 years old, draw deeply from this chalky earth. “Benediktusberg produces wines with incredible finesse,” Benedikt explains as he lets a handful of soil trickle through his fingers. “Here, you can taste the terroir in every bottle.” The Silvaners from this site are elegant, often more delicate than those from Rothlauf, but with unmatched clarity and precision. The limestone retains water, releasing it slowly — perfect for vines that not only survive the summer heat but also retain a certain elegance.

Langenberg

Our next stop was Langenberg, one of the winery’s crown jewels. With subplots like “Der Schäfer,” Langenberg is one of the most important sites for the Mays, known for producing complex, deeply expressive wines. The soil here is particularly barren, almost rocky — ideal conditions for vines that must dig deep to find nutrients. “Langenberg challenges the vines,” Benedikt says, and you can sense the respect he has for this site. The wines from here have immense substance, showing great tension on the palate and a depth that can only come from old vines. The Silvaners are especially impressive, with vibrant acidity and striking minerality that often unfolds fully with age.

Himmelspfad

The crowning finale of our tour was Himmelspfad, a site that enchants not only with its name but also with the wines it produces. “Our oldest vines grow up here,” Benedikt proudly tells me. Some of these ancient vines are over 60 years old, passing all their life experience into the grapes. Himmelspfad is known for wines with almost spiritual depth, full of elegance and finesse, but also with an unmatched concentration. The soil here is a mix of shell limestone and clay — a combination that gives the wines a complex, multi-layered character. The Silvaner from Himmelspfad has an almost ethereal grace, gliding across the palate while remaining firmly rooted to the earth.

Tradition Meets Innovation: The Art of Grafting

What fascinated me most was what Benedikt described as the “heart” of their work: preserving old vineyards. While many winemakers choose to uproot old vines and replace them with young ones, the Mays take a different path. They are committed to grafting — a traditional technique where they plant their preferred varieties, like Silvaner or Chardonnay, onto the rootstocks of decades-old vines. This method is labor-intensive, costly, and requires patience, as well as a deep understanding of nature. But the result is wines that combine the best of both worlds: the strength and resilience of old roots and the freshness and elegance of Silvaner and Chardonnay.

“Old vines have an incomparable character,” Benedikt explains. “They give the wine a depth you just can’t get from young vines.” Grafting allows the Mays to preserve these valuable old root systems while also forging new paths in viticulture. It’s this blend of tradition and innovation that makes Weingut May so unique. No other winery in Germany, perhaps even in Europe, is as intensely dedicated to preserving old vine stocks. The Mays believe in the power of these old roots, and while there are many reasons for and against it, I deeply admire the effort that Benedikt’s parents began and he continues with equal passion.

Back at the winery, Benedikt led me into the cellar — a place that radiates the same calm as the May family itself. As unpretentious as the cellar building is, so too is the May philosophy: “controlled idleness.” The wines are allowed to unfold on their own, ferment spontaneously, and are minimally influenced. Little is pumped, with most movement occurring by gravity. This philosophy is reflected in every barrel, from the large 2400-liter wooden casks to the smaller barrels standing almost reverently in the cellar’s half-light.

The Tasting: Silvaner in Perfection

The moment I had been especially looking forward to was the tasting — and right on cue, Rudi May joined us. A man like the wines he creates: calm, thoughtful, but full of depth and surprises. We started with the 2023 Silvaners, and what unfolded in the glass was pure precision. Every sip told the story of the barren soils where the vines grow and the care with which they are tended. No wine tries to impose itself or impress. They are subtle but full of character, like a quiet melody that stays with you.

But the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the 2022 “Kniebrecher.” The winery’s new flagship wine, and the name says it all: this wine has power. It possesses a structure that makes you pause and a depth that takes time to fully explore. It’s a wine that challenges you but also rewards you. A Silvaner that pushes boundaries yet remains deeply Franconian at its core.

For more on the wine, I highly recommend Felix Bodmann’s excellent review of this unique Silvaner’s debut on his blog, “Der Schnutentunker“.

What impressed me most that day at the Mays wasn’t just the quality of the wines — undeniably among the best — but the people behind them. Rudi, the visionary with earthy hands, who gives each vineyard a personality. His wife Petra, undoubtedly the soul and backbone of the family. And Benedikt, the creator, who is leading his parents’ legacy into the future. Their different characters complement each other perfectly. Rudi is the calm, steady force who seems to understand nature like no other. Benedikt, on the other hand, with youthful drive, is seeking new paths without losing sight of his roots.

By the end of the day, I felt like I hadn’t just visited a winery, but a place where wine culture is lived in its purest form. The Mays have managed to strike a balance between tradition and innovation, between the old and the new.

And the Kniebrecher? It’s now in my cellar. Yet every time I pass by it, I feel as though it’s calling to me. Perhaps it’s not just the wine that fascinates me, but the story it tells. A story deeply rooted in the soils of Franconia, brought to life by a family that knows how to make the best of it.