Wittmann, Silvaner trocken, 2010
If like us you fell in love with the Silvaner grape you will probably forgive me for featuring yet another wine made from this German variety - and if you don't love it yet, well, I am not going to shut up until you do. In fact, there will be more Silvaner coming your way on the Wine Rambler over the next weeks. Anyway, Wittmann. I was really looking forward to try the basic 2010 organic Silvaner from one of Rheinhessen's, in fact Germany's, best producers, especially as the 2008 Silvaner had been such fantastic value.
Can Wittmann repeat the success of putting a highly enjoyable white wine for (a little) less than nine Euro on the table with the 2010 vintage?
As far as the bouquet goes, Wittmann certainly can. Immediately after unscrewing the bottle the room was filled with the most wonderful aromas of green apples, enhanced by herb and citrus. The wine also smelled of spring flowers, or to be precise (?!) it smelled of a stream of rose water running along a rocky river bank, with lime mineral in the background and a faint smell of nut. Nice!
The Silvaner tastes as joyful as it smells, a very likeable dry wine that is enjoyable, clear cut, with good citrus and lime mineral flavours, moments of juicy texture and a dry finish that lingers on. Alive and fresh it is maybe a little more lean and acidity focussed than I remember the '08 (but it has been a while), but that does not have to be a bad thing. Without aiming for or pretending to be more complex than it is, Wittmann's Silvaner again delivers a little more than you would expect in this price range.