RARE GRAPE VARIETAL RESOURCE

In Franconia, along the river Main, the Silvaner is the typical white wine grape variety. Its cultivation has been documented in this region in the northwest of Bavaria since 1659. In addition to the Green Silvaner, there used to be yellow, red and blue varieties that were grown together in a “mixed set”. It is still not clear whether the Blue Silvaner is a mutation of the Green Silvaner or perhaps its original variety. In the early 20th century, people stated to cultivate and expand the Green Silvaner separately thanks to its early ripeness, low acidity and yield stability. The other Silvaner varieties became fewer and the Blue Silvaner had almost completely disappeared at the middle of the century.

In 1964, a wine grower and also grapevine grower discovered one stock of the blue variant in a 1.3 hectare facility with Green Silvaner. Obviously, a mutation had created a Blue Silvaner again. The genetic stability and his health were tested with the descendants of this vine. After further selections and tests, the Blue Silvaner was finally entered in the Federal German variety register in 1984.

The grapes of the Blue Silvaner are medium-sized, dense berries and have a rounded shape. The specialty is their coloring. Only shortly bevor ripening they take on a dark red, violet or blue color. In terms of ampelography, Blauer and Grüner Silvaner can hardly be distinguished from one another until they mature.

The wine can turn copper-golden to salmon-red. However, it is not a red wine because the grapes does not give off much color during the must fermentation. Anthocyanins or plant pigments, which ensure a red, violet, blue or blue-black color, are very little or completely absent in the pulp of the berries of the Blue Silvaner.

The aromas of the Blue Silvaner are similar to those of the green. Due to the higher tannin content in the berry peel, however, there is a mixture of mineral, very fine bitter substances. While the Green Silvaner has more fruitiness and floral character, the Blue Silvaner has a more intense taste. All in all, the Blue Silvaner produces rather robust, strong and ripe wines that are well suited to accompany meals and can also be stored

Today the Blue Silvaner has a comparatively small area under cultivation: in 2018, the area in Germany was 29 hectares. For the Green Silvaner, an area of 4,744 hectares was recorded in the same year. The Blue Silvaner thus had a share of less than one percent of the total Silvaner cultivation area. These facts make the Blue Silvaner an absolute niche product. The Blue Silvaner is currently grown and marketed by wineries in Franconia, Baden, on river Nahe, Rheinhessen, the Saale-Unstrut area and in Württemberg.

More information » www.slowfood.de/blauer_silvaner (German)

(Courtesy of Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity – Ark of Taste) https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/blue-silvaner-grape/

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