Collection: Sylvan

Sylvaner is a white grape variety with roots in Österreich, where it arose as a crossing between Österreichisch Weiss and Traminer. Today it is widely grown across Central Europe, and its two most important homelands are Franken in Germany and Alsace in France. You will also find it in Österreich and in isolated plantings as far away as Bierzo in Spain. The grape appears under a number of synonyms, including Silvaner, Grüner Silvaner and Frankenriesling.

Sylvaner ripens early and gives generous yields, which historically made it a reliable workhorse in cooler vineyards. Stylistically it keeps to dry white wines. The flavour profile is neutral, earthy and with a fresh, tangy edge, which makes it a discreet and straightforward wine without exaggerated aromatics. It is precisely this understated character that makes Sylvaner a pleasant companion at the table, where it lets the food speak rather than stealing the show.

At Copenhagen Wine we carry Sylvaner from Germany, which is the natural starting point when you want to get to know the grape. Germany, and Franken in particular, is one of the grape's two classic core regions, and it is here that it has traditionally shown its most characterful side. The dry, earthy style suits the German expression well, where freshness and a slight bitterness on the finish often come to the fore.

If you want to give Sylvaner a place in the glass, it works nicely as an unpretentious everyday white wine and with light dishes. If you enjoy white wines that are more restrained than fruit-driven, and that let terroir and acidity speak, Sylvaner is worth exploring. It is a good example that a grape need not be flashy to be interesting, and it rewards you who appreciate the quiet and the genuine.