Sylvaner - White Wine Grape
Sylvaner can surprise you...Sylvaner probably originated in Austria, and then expanded into Germany where it was already known during the Middle Ages. Sylvaner is found throughout Central Europe, Germany and the Alsace region of northeastern region of France but has definitely lost popularity. It is a minor variety in California and Australia.
Sylvaner image first published in Traité général de viticulture : ampélographie /
publiée sous la direction de P. Viala ; secrétaire général V. Vermorel, avec la collaboration
de A. Bacon.. [et al] Paris: Masson et Cie, 1901-1910.vol. 2 plate 92
Illustration courtesy of the State Library of South Australia, Wine Literature of the World website.
Sylvaner juice is viscous and quite acidic, It is very sweet but lacks a distinctive taste and so is usually blended with a drier white wine such as Riesling. It may be transformed into a late harvest sweet wine.
Sylvaner may accompany Choucroute (Sauerkraut), Salad, Onion Tart, or Seafood.
See My Own German Wine Articles for a clickable list of German Sylvaner wines.