German wine - grape varieties
Silvaner - white vine variety
- Silvaner
Silvaner is an old variety that once was the most important grape in Germany. Today, it accounts for some 7% of the country's plantings. A reasonably abundant producer, it likes average exposure to the sunshine and needs moist soil. It ripens about two weeks earlier than Riesling.
Silvaner makes a rather full-bodied, neutral white wine with a mild acidity, and is generally best enjoyed while young.
A traditional variety in Franken, Rheinhessen and Saale-Unstrut, there are also extensive plantings in the Pfalz and an enclave in the Kaiserstuhl district of Baden.
