Silvaner/Sylvaner

I’ve become strangely fascinated by Silvaner (spelt Sylvaner in France), an historic white grape variety grown in both Germany and Alsace. This has been a slow-burning but consistent intrigue: when I moved to California in 2014, I visited Scribe, a Sonoma winery who planted Silvaner to pay tribute to the German immigrant pioneers of the area. That drew me to the unsung German influence on California wine, but also the medium-bodied, earthy wines from Silvaner which provide an interesting alternative to Riesling.

In Germany, Silvaner is known for the Bocksbeutel, a round-shaped bottle that doesn’t fit in any wine rack—a unique if annoying selling point. That’s probably what it’s most famous for, as nowadays there isn’t as much Silvaner planted in Germany or Alsace, replaced by Riesling for quality wine and grapes like Müller-Thurgau or Pinot Blanc for less expensive wine. But recent tastings of wines from Germany and France—and also, less expectedly, Switzerland—have demonstrated the potential for high quality, and some extremely good producers are making excellent wines from Silvaner.

origins

Despite its association with Germany, Silvaner actually originates from Austria, although there are fewer than 50ha of plantings there now. It’s a natural crossing of an obscure variety called Österreichisch Weiss and Savagnin (aka Traminer). The former is an off-spring of Gouais Blanc, which, like Savagnin, is the parent of many historic varieties. This gives an indication of Sylvaner’s long past—it was first recorded in 1665, but it most likely predates that mention. This makes Silvaner as almost an historic variety as Riesling.

where it’s grown

A hundred years ago, Silvaner was the most planted white grape in Germany; now it’s third behind Riesling and Müller-Thurgau, with around 5,000ha of plantings (compared to 22,000ha of Riesling). Despite the overall reduction in plantings over the last 100 years, the last 35 years have seen plantings double—mostly with an emphasis on quality.

Silvaner’s problem is that it’s not as intense or complex as Riesling, lacks the latter’s racy acidity, and arguably doesn’t reflect terroir as keenly. But it’s not as light and easy as productive varieties such as Müller-Thurgau or Pinot Blanc, which explains why plantings fell so much. The style, quality, and price point lie in the middle ground, but Silvaner produces wines well worth exploring with earthy, vegetal aromas, fresh acidity, and a weighty body.

franken

Although there are more plantings in Rheinhessen (5,000+ha), the German region now most associated with Silvaner is Franken (with just over 1,200ha), which lies to the east of Stuttgart. Although plantings of Silvaner have fallen dramatically across Germany, in Franken they have increased threefold since the 1960s which has given the region an identity different from other German areas. This is where the Bocksbeutel is found, although the bottle can create stereotypes about the region and Silvaner itself; in fact, some of the best wines I’ve tasted recently have been in the flute bottles which Riesling is usually bottled in.

Even though Franken is strongly associated with Silvaner, plantings of the variety account for less than a quarter of the region’s vineyards—Müller-Thurgau remains about a third, which shows how Silvaner has declined over the years. However, in a region susceptible to spring frost and extreme cold conditions, Silvaner is considered to produce the finest wines.

But, to my surprise, what I’ve been particularly excited about are the wines from regions I wouldn’t have particularly associated with Silvaner. (And the wines from Franken I have been most excited about have been Spätburgunder, which suggests we should always be open to re-imagining our perceptions of established regions.)

switzerland

Swiss wine is rarely found outside the country (only 1% is exported) so it’s not a country whose wines I—or any of us—taste often if at all. There are just 246ha of Silvaner in Switzerland, concentrated in the Valais region, a region with incredibly steep slopes, and that’s where the best Silvaner wines come from. Despite this seemingly low amount, this actually makes it the third most planted variety in the country. Controversially and confusingly, Silvaner is sometimes called Johannisberg in Valais, which is also a synonym often used for Riesling. I would say this doesn’t help consumer understanding of Silvaner, but then so little Swiss wine is sold outside the country it probably doesn’t matter. However, Domaine des Crètes’s “Johannisberg” is available in the US, offering a rare opportunity to taste Swiss wine ($28; ✪✪✪✪).

alsace

In Alsace, there are four “noble” varieties planted on the Grand Cru sites: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Muscat. On the more fertile plains, there’s Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois for less expensive wines. And then there’s Sylvaner, to give it the French spelling.

There are about 1,500ha of Sylvaner in Alsace, accounting for 10% of all plantings. Most of the plantings are the bottom of the Vosges mountain range. The one exception is the Zotzenberg Grand Cru, located in the northern part of Alsace and which in 2005 was allowed to become the only Grand Cru permitted to have Sylvaner on the label. The wines from this vineyard have a definite similarity to Riesling, with lower acidity, but smoky, earthy aromas as the wines mature.

But there’s also very good Sylvaner being made in the lower foothills. André Ostertag, an expectional biodynamic Alsace producer, makes a couple of wines from Sylvaner. The vieilles vignes comes from 55-year-old vines, giving an indication of the variety’s history in Alsace ($26; ✪✪✪✪); the “SVV3” also comes from older vines fermented separately due to their distinct quality ($35; ✪✪✪✪✪). To taste different wines from the same producer, let alone the same region, indicates that if Silvaner is taken seriously it can produce distinct expressions of where the grapes have been grown. Domaine Albert Mann are another biodynamic producer making excellent affordable wines from Sylvaner ($25; ✪✪✪✪).

There may not be as much Silvaner planted as there once was, but interest in the wines is slowly on the rise. Try wines from Alsace and Franken and, if you’re lucky, Switzerland. If you like Riesling but sometimes find it a bit too intense or if you like Sauvignon Blanc but sometimes find it a bit too vegetal, then Silvaner presents an interesting in-between alternative.