Sylvaner or Silvaner, an autochthonous Austrian grape variety, is one of the oldest cultivated white wine grapes
Image gallery: Sylvaner
Sylvaner, also known as Silvaner or Green Silvaner, is cultivated in the Valle dell'Adige and Valle Isarco valleys and around the town of Bolzano where it plays a significant role in viticulture. The white grape variety, a cross between Traminer and Österreichisch Weiss (Austrian White), came from the Austrian Danube area to Germany for the first time in the 17th century. There it became simply known as "Österreicher", that's to say "Austrian". Until a few decades ago, Sylvaner was the most cultivated grape variety in Germany featuring a cultivation area segment of 30%. From the 1970s on, the percentage has sunken from year to year.
The taste of Sylvaner depends very much on the soil on which it grows. A loamy soil produces a rather neutral flavour, while grapes cultivated on residual soil yield a wine with an elegant aroma. In frost-free areas the cultivation of the grape variety can be very profitable. South Tyrolean Sylvaner is a fresh white wine with a pale yellow or greenish colour: Its flavour reminds of fresh hay and gooseberry. It goes well with asparagus and fish dishes and is suitable as an aperitif.
Serving temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C
