© Winery Rainer Sauer

For one thing, there is its very own aroma and texture. It tends to have quiet tones and very restrained fruit like Chardonnay, but lacks its acidity, coolness and nuanced citrus notes; it has a tendency towards vegetal aromas like Sauvignon Blanc or even Grüner Veltliner, but has neither the expressive aromatics of the former nor the often a little plump fruit of the latter. Similar to Pinot Blanc, it can be light-footed and fine or melting and powerful, but it does not have the nuttiness and more vegetal, often downright "earthy" character. The fact that it has Traminer in its family tree can be seen in the fact that in warm years Silvaner tends to have high sugar levels and consequently plenty of alcohol, but aromatically the two could hardly be further apart.

But it is not only in the glass that Silvaner claims a special role, it is also choosy in the vineyard, although thanks to its aversion to dry, stony soils it does not give Riesling too much competition for the right site. This and its thick-skinned nature could also be reasons why Silvaner often reacts anti-cyclically to weather conditions. Public perception of the quality of a vintage in Germany is based primarily on how good the Rieslings turn out. At the same time, vintages that tend to be difficult for Riesling always turn out particularly well for Silvaner, such as 2014 and 2020.

Compared to 2020, 2021 is usually the more successful vintage for Riesling, even if the results are by no means as uniformly good as some commentaries suggest. That is why Silvaner is not at a disadvantage this year compared to Riesling, even though 2020 was perhaps the better vintage for it. But this is only noticeable in nuances, if at all. 2021 offers a wealth of excellent Silvaner in almost all styles. Only the really ponderous department remains largely unoccupied. But firstly, this is probably not only due to the vintage, and secondly, hardly anyone misses it.

We have tasted almost 300 Silvaners in the last few weeks, of which we present the best here. Links to all the wines and their producers can be found at the end of each vintage selection.

In FocusSilvaner Vintage 2021

Weingut Zehnthof - Luckert — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sulzfeld Blauer Silvaner trocken "Creutz" 96 WP great 150.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sulzfeld Blauer Silvaner trocken "Creutz", 150.00 €?

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Eiswein VDP.Erste Lage 95 WP great 70.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Eiswein VDP.Erste Lage, 70.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2021 Thüngersheim Rothlauf Silvaner Grosses Gewächs 94 WP excellent 50.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Thüngersheim Rothlauf Silvaner Grosses Gewächs, 50.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2021 Retzstadt Himmelspfad Silvaner Grosses Gewächs 94 WP excellent 50.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Retzstadt Himmelspfad Silvaner Grosses Gewächs, 50.00 €?

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Escherndorf Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 93 WP excellent 27.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Escherndorf Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 27.00 €?

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Beerenauslese VDP.Erste Lage 93 WP excellent 40.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Beerenauslese VDP.Erste Lage, 40.00 €?

Weingut Zehnthof - Luckert — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sulzfeld Maustal Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 93 WP excellent 50.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sulzfeld Maustal Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 50.00 €?

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Auslese VDP.Erste Lage 92 WP excellent 21.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Auslese VDP.Erste Lage, 21.00 €?

Weingut Max Müller I GbR — Franconia/Franken 2021 Escherndorf Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner Grosses Gewächs 92 WP excellent 36.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Escherndorf Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner Grosses Gewächs, 36.00 €?

Weingut Richard Östreicher — Franconia/Franken 2021 Volkach Ratsherr Silvaner "Maria im Weingarten" 38.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Volkach Ratsherr Silvaner "Maria im Weingarten", 38.00 €?

Weingut Max Müller I GbR — Franconia/Franken 2021 Volkach Ratsherr Silvaner Grosses Gewächs 91 WP excellent 36.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Volkach Ratsherr Silvaner Grosses Gewächs, 36.00 €?

Weingut Max Müller I GbR — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sommerach Katzenkopf Silvaner trocken "Wilm" Alte Reben 91 WP excellent 28.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sommerach Katzenkopf Silvaner trocken "Wilm" Alte Reben, 28.00 €?

Weingut Richard Östreicher — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sommerach Katzenkopf Silvaner "Augustbaum" 34.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sommerach Katzenkopf Silvaner "Augustbaum", 34.00 €?

Weingut Ottenbreit — Franconia/Franken 2021 Silvaner Landwein "Come as you are" 91 WP excellent 23.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Silvaner Landwein "Come as you are", 23.00 €?

Weingut Rainer Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Escherndorf Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 91 WP excellent 30.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Escherndorf Am Lumpen 1655 Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 30.00 €?

Weingut Rainer Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Silvaner trocken "AB OVO" 91 WP excellent 25.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Silvaner trocken "AB OVO", 25.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2021 Retzstadt Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Der Schäfer" 91 WP excellent 30.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Retzstadt Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Der Schäfer", 30.00 €?

Weingut Bischel — Rheinhessen 2021 Gau-Algesheim Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken Terrassen 91 WP excellent 16.90 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Gau-Algesheim Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken Terrassen, 16.90 €?

Weingut Schmitt's Kinder — Franconia/Franken 2021 Randersacker Pfülben Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 32.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Randersacker Pfülben Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 32.00 €?

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Silvaner VDP.Gutswein trocken "Sehnsucht" 90 WP excellent 20.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Silvaner VDP.Gutswein trocken "Sehnsucht", 20.00 €?

Weingut Zehnthof - Luckert — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sulzfeld Sonnenberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Gelbkalk" 90 WP excellent 24.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sulzfeld Sonnenberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Gelbkalk", 24.00 €?

Weingut Zehnthof - Luckert — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sulzfeld Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken Alte Reben 90 WP excellent 17.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sulzfeld Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken Alte Reben, 17.00 €?

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2021 Würzburg Stein-Harfe Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 29.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Würzburg Stein-Harfe Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 29.00 €?

Weingut Josef Walter — Franconia/Franken 2021 Bürgstadt Centgrafenberg Silvaner trocken 90 WP excellent 12.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Bürgstadt Centgrafenberg Silvaner trocken, 12.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2021 Retzbach Benediktusberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 90 WP excellent 24.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Retzbach Benediktusberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken, 24.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2021 Stetten Rossthalberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 90 WP excellent 22.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Stetten Rossthalberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken, 22.00 €?

Weingut Olinger — Franconia/Franken 2021 Iphofen Kalb Sylvaner trocken 89 WP very good 15.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Iphofen Kalb Sylvaner trocken, 15.00 €?

Öko-Weingut Zang — Main 2021 Silvaner Landwein "Langgraben" 18.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Silvaner Landwein "Langgraben", 18.00 €?

Winzerhof Stahl — Franconia/Franken 2021 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Silvaner trocken 89 WP very good

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Silvaner trocken?

Weinbau Bernard — Franconia/Franken 2021 Klingenberg Schloßberg Silvaner trocken 89 WP very good 10.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Klingenberg Schloßberg Silvaner trocken, 10.00 €?

Weingut Rainer Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2021 Silvaner trocken "L" 89 WP very good 18.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Silvaner trocken "L", 18.00 €?

Weingut Werther-Windisch — Rheinhessen 2021 Harxheim Lieth Silvaner trocken 20.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Harxheim Lieth Silvaner trocken, 20.00 €?

Weingut Zehnthof - Luckert — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sulzfeld Blauer Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken 89 WP very good 15.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sulzfeld Blauer Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken, 15.00 €?

Weingut Zehnthof - Luckert — Franconia/Franken 2021 Sulzfeld Roter Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken 89 WP very good 15.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Sulzfeld Roter Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken, 15.00 €?

Staatlicher Hofkeller — Franconia/Franken 2021 Würzburg Stein-Berg Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 89 WP very good 31.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Würzburg Stein-Berg Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 31.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2021 Retzstadt Langenberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken Alte Reben 89 WP very good 18.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Retzstadt Langenberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken Alte Reben, 18.00 €?

Weingut Johann Ruck — Franconia/Franken 2021 Iphofen Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Trias®" 17.50 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Iphofen Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "Trias®", 17.50 €?

Weingut Höfler — Franconia/Franken 2021 Michelbach Steinberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 89 WP very good

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Michelbach Steinberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken?

Weingut Olinger — Franconia/Franken 2021 Iphofen Kronsberg Sylvaner trocken 89 WP very good 15.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Iphofen Kronsberg Sylvaner trocken, 15.00 €?

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2021 Würzburg Stein Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 89 WP very good 14.90 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Würzburg Stein Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken, 14.90 €?

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2021 Würzburg Innere Leiste Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 89 WP very good 14.40 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2021 Würzburg Innere Leiste Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken, 14.40 €?

All wines

In FocusSilvaner Vintage 2020

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2020 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Trockenbeerenauslese VDP.Erste Lage 93 WP excellent 70.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner Trockenbeerenauslese VDP.Erste Lage, 70.00 €?

Weingut am Stein - Ludwig Knoll — Franconia/Franken 2020 Stetten Stein Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 92 WP excellent 45.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Stetten Stein Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 45.00 €?

Weingut Keller — Rheinhessen 2020 Sylvaner trocken "Feuervogel" 92 WP excellent

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Sylvaner trocken "Feuervogel"?

Weingut Bickel-Stumpf — Franconia/Franken 2020 Frickenhausen Mönchshof Silvaner VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken VDP.Grosse Lage 90 WP excellent 36.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Frickenhausen Mönchshof Silvaner VDP.Grosses Gewächs trocken VDP.Grosse Lage, 36.00 €?

Weingut Stefan Vetter — Main 2020 Sylvaner Landwein trocken "GK" Up to 45.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Sylvaner Landwein trocken "GK", Up to 45.00 €?

Weingut Stefan Vetter — Main 2020 Sylvaner Landwein trocken "Himmelslücke" Up to 30.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Sylvaner Landwein trocken "Himmelslücke", Up to 30.00 €?

Weingut Hans Wirsching KG — Franconia/Franken 2020 Iphofen Kammer Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 28.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Iphofen Kammer Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 28.00 €?

Weingut Hans Wirsching KG — Franconia/Franken 2020 Iphofen Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 90 WP excellent 34.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Iphofen Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 34.00 €?

Weingut Giegerich — Franconia/Franken 2020 Rück Schalk Silvaner trocken 90 WP excellent 22.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Rück Schalk Silvaner trocken, 22.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2020 Retzstadt Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken Reserve "Der Schäfer" 90 WP excellent 35.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Retzstadt Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken Reserve "Der Schäfer", 35.00 €?

Weingut am Stein - Ludwig Knoll — Main 2020 Silvaner Landwein trocken Alte Reben "Vinz" 90 WP excellent

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Silvaner Landwein trocken Alte Reben "Vinz"?

Weingut Wilhelm Arnold — Franconia/Franken 2020 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Silvaner Beerenauslese VDP.Erste Lage 89 WP very good 28.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Silvaner Beerenauslese VDP.Erste Lage, 28.00 €?

Weingut Stefan Vetter — Main 2020 Sylvaner Landwein trocken "Schale, Stiel & Stengel" Up to 30.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Sylvaner Landwein trocken "Schale, Stiel & Stengel", Up to 30.00 €?

Weinmanufaktur 3 Zeilen — Franconia/Franken 2020 Rödelsee Schwanleite Silvaner trocken 89 WP very good

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Rödelsee Schwanleite Silvaner trocken?

Weinmanufaktur 3 Zeilen — Main 2020 Landwein trocken "Onkel Heiner Seiner" 89 WP very good

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Landwein trocken "Onkel Heiner Seiner"?

Weingut Trockene Schmitts — Franconia/Franken 2020 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Sylvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken "Konsequent R" 89 WP very good 22.90 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Sylvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken "Konsequent R", 22.90 €?

Weingut Egon Schäffer GbR — Franconia/Franken 2020 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 89 WP very good 14.90 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken, 14.90 €?

Weingut Egon Schäffer GbR — Franconia/Franken 2020 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "FIFTY-FIVE" 89 WP very good 19.55 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Escherndorf Lump Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "FIFTY-FIVE", 19.55 €?

Weingut Fürst Löwenstein — Franconia/Franken 2020 Homburg Kallmuth Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken "Asphodill" 89 WP very good 35.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Homburg Kallmuth Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken "Asphodill", 35.00 €?

Patrizierhof - Weingut Gasthof Hotel - Familie Grebner — Franconia/Franken 2020 Wiesenbronn Wachhügel Silvaner trocken "Vis-à-vis" 89 WP very good 28.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Wiesenbronn Wachhügel Silvaner trocken "Vis-à-vis", 28.00 €?

Weingut Werther-Windisch — Rheinhessen 2020 Silvaner Ortswein trocken "8grad14minuten" 12.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Silvaner Ortswein trocken "8grad14minuten", 12.00 €?

Weingut Giegerich — Franconia/Franken 2020 Großwallstadt Silvaner Ortswein trocken Alte Reben 89 WP very good 15.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Großwallstadt Silvaner Ortswein trocken Alte Reben, 15.00 €?

Weingut Horst Sauer — Franconia/Franken 2020 Silvaner VDP.Gutswein trocken "Sehnsucht" 89 WP very good 20.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Silvaner VDP.Gutswein trocken "Sehnsucht", 20.00 €?

Weingut am Stein - Ludwig Knoll — Main 2020 Silvaner Landwein trocken "Hoch 3" 89 WP very good

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Silvaner Landwein trocken "Hoch 3"?

Weingut am Stein - Ludwig Knoll — Franconia/Franken 2020 Würzburg Innere Leiste Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken 89 WP very good

 

Where to buy wines of 2020 Würzburg Innere Leiste Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken?

All wines

In Focus: Silvaner Older vintages

Weingut Fürst Löwenstein — Franconia/Franken 2014 Homburg Kallmuth Silvaner trocken *** Grosses Gewächs, Asphodill 92 WP excellent 27.50 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2014 Homburg Kallmuth Silvaner trocken *** Grosses Gewächs, Asphodill, 27.50 €?

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2014 Würzburg Stein-Harfe Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 92 WP excellent 26.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2014 Würzburg Stein-Harfe Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 26.00 €?

Weingut May — Franconia/Franken 2014 Retzstadt Langenberg Silvaner trocken Grosses Gewächs, Himmelspfad 91 WP excellent

 

Where to buy wines of 2014 Retzstadt Langenberg Silvaner trocken Grosses Gewächs, Himmelspfad?

Weingut Trockene Schmitts — Franconia/Franken 2019 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Sylvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken "Konsequent R" 91 WP excellent 22.50 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2019 Randersacker Sonnenstuhl Sylvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken "Konsequent R", 22.50 €?

Weingut Egon Schäffer GbR — Franconia/Franken 2015 Escherndorf Fürstenberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "S7LVANER" 90 WP excellent 27.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2015 Escherndorf Fürstenberg Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage trocken "S7LVANER", 27.00 €?

Weingut Werther-Windisch — Rheinhessen 2015 Harxheim Lieth Silvaner trocken 19.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2015 Harxheim Lieth Silvaner trocken, 19.00 €?

Weingut Garlider — Alto Adige 2018 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Sylvaner "Hautnah" 90 WP excellent 40.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2018 Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Sylvaner "Hautnah", 40.00 €?

Weingut Stefan Bardorf — Franconia/Franken 2019 Randersacker Marsberg Silvaner trocken Alte Reben "RR" 90 WP excellent 32.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2019 Randersacker Marsberg Silvaner trocken Alte Reben "RR", 32.00 €?

Weingut Juliusspital Würzburg — Franconia/Franken 2010 Iphofen Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 89 WP very good 23.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2010 Iphofen Julius-Echter-Berg Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 23.00 €?

Weingut Egon Schäffer GbR — Franconia/Franken 2015 Untereisenheim Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken "S7LVANER" 89 WP very good 20.15 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2015 Untereisenheim Silvaner VDP.Ortswein trocken "S7LVANER", 20.15 €?

Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist - Weingut — Franconia/Franken 2013 Würzburg Stein-Harfe Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken 89 WP very good 26.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2013 Würzburg Stein-Harfe Silvaner Grosses Gewächs trocken, 26.00 €?

Weingut Juliusspital Würzburg — Franconia/Franken 2019 Iphofen Kronsberg Silvaner trocken "Premium" 89 WP very good 20.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2019 Iphofen Kronsberg Silvaner trocken "Premium", 20.00 €?

Fürstlich Castell’sche Domäne — Franconia/Franken 2019 Silvaner trocken "mittwoch 6. Apriles anno 1659" 89 WP very good 28.00 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2019 Silvaner trocken "mittwoch 6. Apriles anno 1659", 28.00 €?

Weingut Werther-Windisch — Rheinhessen 2016 Harxheim Lieth Silvaner trocken 18.50 €

 

Where to buy wines of 2016 Harxheim Lieth Silvaner trocken, 18.50 €?

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