Sylvaner as it Should Be: Stefan Vetter 2014ers

9/23/16 -

"Not More But Also Not Less." This is the translation of the phrase printed near the base of every label of Vetter wine (and cider), and it perfectly sums up Stefan Vetter’s approach and commitment to his vineyards and wines. He works by hand in the vineyards, using organic and biodynamic methods. In the cellar he adds nothing, allowing for spontaneous fermentation, and uses a mix of used barrels of various sizes with the occasional stainless steel tank if yields are high. The wines spend at least 12 months in barrel, are unfined and unfiltered, and Vetter uses fairly low levels of sulfur or none at all, depending on the needs of the wine.

Stefan is incredibly soft spoken, pensive, careful to compose his thoughts, but when he does it's with a strong sense of resolve. After attending Geisenheim and working a stint in Austria under Hans and Anita Nittnaus, Stefan answered an ad for a vineyard plot of Sylvaner in the Franken, and the rest is (recent) history. Accessible by a forest path, the vineyards were a true delight to behold: green vines and grass covered the hillside, punctuated by old, stone terraces, teeming with wild flowers of all colors. (Helicopter spraying of vineyards is forbidden here, so there is no worry of chemical overspray onto the vines.) Stefan chooses to focus on Sylvaner, an indigenous grape of Franken, well-suited to the terraced vineyards of limestone and red sandstone. His vines range in age, with some ungrafted, planted as early as 1934.

Tasting through his 2014s was an eye-opening experience, as I hadn't previously had the chance to experience the vast scope of Sylvaner's expression when grown on different terroirs. Some wines skewed towards the oxidative, reminiscent of whites from the Jura, while others evoked the linear, chalky intensity of Chablis. If you haven't had the chance to taste what Sylvaner can truly do, this is a great way to get acquainted. Along with the 2014s, we’ve also included his 2015 Apfelperlwein (a sparkling cider made from indigenous apples with no added sulfur), and the 2013 Sylvaner GK (Gambacher Kalbenstein) Sandstein, an exquisite example of the textural complexity of Sylvaner. Enjoy!  -Cari Bernard