Sylvaner
Asparagus partner and sweet wine star
The Sylvaner was created over a century ago as a spontaneous crossing in Austria. Today, only minute quantities are found there. It occupies the largest area in Germany, where it is spelled “Silvaner”. Well into the 1970s, it even trumped Riesling there by area. In France, Alsace has the monopoly on the Sylvaner. There, the variety is prized mainly in Valais; there, it is called Johannisberg or Johannis for short. Dry examples are perfect wines for asparagus: spirited and full-bodied, with moderate acidity and a delicate aroma of herbs, gooseberries and fresh hay. In addition, it yields superb dessert wines that can mature for two to three decades without issue.
