Silvaner is the quiet one among white grapes. It rarely shouts with perfume the way Riesling or Gewürztraminer can, and that restraint is exactly its charm: dry, textured wines with a stony, herbal edge that taste of the soil they grow in and go with almost anything on the table. In Alsace and Südtirol the same grape is spelled Sylvaner.
What Silvaner wine is: an old Central European grape
DNA profiling shows Silvaner is a natural cross of Traminer and Österreichisch Weiss, which points to an origin in the Danube lands of today's Austria. Its first documented arrival in Germany is precise: in 1659 cuttings described as "Austrian" were planted at Castell in Franconia. From there it spread across the Main valley and into Rheinhessen, and for a while it was among the most widely planted grapes in the country.
In the glass, think green apple, pear, fresh herbs, hay and a cool, chalky or smoky minerality. The acidity is gentler than Riesling's, so the wines feel round rather than sharp, and the best sites give real depth and length without any need for oak.
Franken Silvaner and Rheinhessen: Germany's Silvaner heartland
Franconia is where Silvaner is taken most seriously. It covers roughly a quarter of the region's vineyards, and the dry wines from shell limestone and Keuper soils are often bottled in the flat, round Bocksbeutel. Rudolf May shows the full range, from the Kniebrecher and Retzstadt bottlings to the Himmelspfad and Rothlauf Grosses Gewächs. Stephan and Simone Krämer of Weingut Kraemer work organically and go further with a Solera Silvaner and a skin contact version, and Giegerich, Florian Reus and Krawalter add more Franconian character.
Rheinhessen actually holds the largest area of Silvaner in the world. Here the grape comes in many guises: Carsten Saalwächter's Steinkante, Grauer Stein and Alte Reben from Ingelheim, Heiligenblut's Attila and Heimersheim, Bastian Beny's organic Sylvaner and Michael Teschke's idiosyncratic Mission. For a glimpse of history there is even a 1943 Oppenheimer Goldberg Spätlese from the Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Oppenheim.
Beyond Franconia: Saale-Unstrut, Baden and Blauer Silvaner
Konni & Evi in Saale-Unstrut, one of Germany's most northerly regions, make Silvaner with real tension in the Ziegental, Trias and Tethys cuvées, plus a rare Blauer Silvaner, a dark-skinned colour mutation of the grape that still makes a white wine. Look also for Wengerter Und's Clos Catherine from Baden, Weingut Heid's Steinmergel from Württemberg, Barnert & Drewitz on the Hessische Bergstrasse and Lingenfelder in the Pfalz. All of our German wine sits one click away.
Alsace Sylvaner and Südtirol Sylvaner
In Alsace, Sylvaner was long dismissed as a carafe wine, until growers proved what old vines can do. Since 2006 it has been allowed as a grand cru grape on a single site, Zotzenberg in Mittelbergheim. Domaine Ostertag's Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner is a benchmark, Jean-Marie Haag bottles sweet, late-picked Sylvaner, and the grape also adds freshness to blends such as Marc Kreydenweiss's Lune à Boire.
In Südtirol, Sylvaner is the speciality of the Eisacktal (Valle Isarco), the steep valley north of Bolzano. Pacher Hof's Alte Reben Riserva and Oberfurner's Valle Isarco Sylvaner show its cooler, more aromatic mountain side.
Food pairing with Silvaner
Silvaner is a classic with asparagus, especially white asparagus with hollandaise. It also suits trout, freshwater fish, veal, chicken with herbs, quiche and soft goat cheese. Richer old-vine and skin contact versions handle pork, mushrooms and Alsace choucroute. If you like dry Riesling but want something softer and more savoury, Silvaner is the obvious next step.
Silvaner FAQ
Is Silvaner the same as Sylvaner?
Yes. It is one grape: Silvaner is the German spelling, Sylvaner the usual one in Alsace and Südtirol. In the Swiss Valais it goes by Johannisberg.
What does Silvaner taste like?
Mostly dry, with apple, pear and herbal notes, moderate acidity and an earthy, mineral finish. It is subtle rather than aromatic.
Is Silvaner sweet or dry?
Most Silvaner today is dry ("trocken" on German labels). Spätlese and late-harvest Alsace bottlings can be sweet, so check the label.
What is a Bocksbeutel?
The flat, round flask traditionally used for Franconian wine. Seeing one on a Silvaner usually means it comes from Franconia.