WTN: Weekly Silvaner: Spanier-Gillot 2009

2009 Spanier-Gillot ‚Grundstein‘ Silvaner –Rheinhessen, Germany 12,5% alc,

Many of the wine regions of Germany can rightly claim historical significance with the Silvaner vine. Franken is certainly the most noteworthy and home to the best examples, but Rheinhessen also takes much pride in the grape.

Rheinhessen Silvaner tends to run a little more broad and fruity than that of Franken (the exceptions being producers like Wagner-Stempel to the west and others who devote better vineyard land to it), but overall it is more plump and viscous without the strong mineral presence of those found on the Main River.
I would put this into that richer, pungently earthy category. Straw, wet clay, apple, apricot, sweat and butterscotch with a creaminess of texture. The wine was initially a little muddled and it took some air-time to get things in order, but I ended up liking it.

Cheers,
Bill

Hi Bill -

Thank you for the interesting note. Is the Rheinhessen doing Grosses Gewachs for Silvaner now? I knew that there was some discussion about it.

Hi Bill -

Thank you for the interesting note. Is the Rheinhessen doing Grosses Gewachs for Silvaner now? I knew that there was some discussion about it.

No, not yet. As of now only Franken and Saale-Unstrut have the rights to GG Silvaner. I would suspect that if the VDP were to allow it, there wouldn't be many vineyards classified and those that were deemed suitable would mostly be found to the west and the south of the region. For such a large area, there just aren't too many outstanding vineyard sites in the Rheinhessen (though the great vineyards can play with any in Germany). But there are of course producers who make the most of what they have, though what a struggle it must be.

Cheers,
Bill