In the autumn, there are many wine events – selection is necesssary. Sweet wines are rarely to be found on tasting lists – if there is one -, mostly the winemakers have only dry wines with them. I wanted to taste dry Silvaner at the presentation of wine from Franconia, which was announced with the brand Silvaner Heimat seit 1659 (Home of Silvaner since 1659) created this year.
Home of the Silvaner is not so wrong, because about 1,500 hectares, corresponding to 1/4 of the Franconian vineyards are planted with Silvaner. However, Rheinhessen has almost half more Silvaner in terms of area and the original home of the grape variety is said to be more likely eastern Austria.
The wines of the winery Brennfleck made clear that the Silvaner has found its best possible home in Franconia. The winery had brought for tasting seven dry Silvaner and in addition, to my delight, a sweet Auslese. The winery Brennfleck offered this Auslese as a sweet counterpoint to the tasting of its very different dry Silvaner wines, – all of them original, from different terroirs, from descreet to filigree to soft, all good to very good wines. The tasted Auslese 2015 comes from a barren shell limestone soil that yields mostly juicy wines with an elegant acidity.
Silvaner Auslese Sulzfelder Mausal 2015, winery Brennfleck
Lots of exotic fruit, candied gooseberry, hints of banana, delicate spice, fruity-dense sweetness in balance due to precise and elegant acidity, juicy, very good, long, intense finish. Excellent wine.