Silvaner

Silvaner (spelled Sylvaner in France) is a white wine grape long associated with Germany, where it is the signature variety of Franken and a mainstay of Rheinhessen, and with Alsace across the border. It makes a dry, fresh, medium-bodied white of relatively neutral aroma — subtle and earthy, with crisp acidity and notes of green apple, pear, fresh herbs and a faintly mineral, savoury edge. Because its own flavour is restrained, it is prized as a transparent carrier of terroir, taking character from the soil it grows on, and as a food wine that flatters rather than overwhelms a dish. Its spiritual home is Franken, where the best examples are bottled in the squat, flask-shaped Bocksbeutel and are the classic partner for white asparagus.