Designation for the flat and bulbous bottle shape (in brown or green colour) in the German Franconian growing region. It has been used here for at least 250 years, the Bürgerspital in Würzburg is considered the "birthplace". This is intended to give Franconian wine an unmistakable identity and to protect it from forgery. According to a Würzburg document from 1728, it is intended to "control any trade abuses". The name is derived either from "bauchige Buddel" or from "Booksbüdel" (a bag used in former times for the prayer book). According to a nice anecdote, some Benedictine nuns who were involved in viticulture are said to have obtained bottles that fit exactly into their prayer book bags. In this way they could, "withdrawn to prayer", unsuspectingly strengthen themselves with the divine drink.
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Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi