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Saalwachter, Silvaner Steinkante, 2023

White Wine from Rheinhessen, Germany
$74.99
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
Dry, organically farmed Silvaner from a Rheinhessen estate that is clearly still in love with the grape, even while it chases Burgundian varieties. Saalwächter works out of Ingelheim am Rhein, where its vineyards are a patchwork of small parcels with many different microclimates, all on poor Muschelkalk (shell limestone) soil. The estate's biggest excitement is Burgundian grapes from those limestone sites, plus a slate-grown counterpart from steep slopes in Assmannshausen. Steinkante has only been bottled on its own since 2022: it comes from a wind-exposed plateau above the Grauer Stein parcel, where there's more yellow limestone in the soil and the grapes ripen a little later. If you only know Silvaner as Germany's anonymous everyday white, this is a chance to taste it from a grower who gives it the same care as its Burgundian varieties.

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Antonio Galloni

94 points

"The 2023 Silvaner Steinkante is a scarp of yellow, soft, porous limestone beneath a limestone quarry, with vines that are 45-50 years old. The wine spent two years on lees. The nose unites flint and wet walnut saltiness, crackling with delicious reduction. Beautiful stoniness reverberates with salt, concentration and limestone depth. Somewhere in the distance, Mirabelle beckons on a super-smooth, lemony yeastiness, or, to use its proper name, autolysis. The finish is stony and straight." —Anne Krebiehl MW

Robert Parker

94 points

"From 52-year-old vines on reddish limestone and aged for 24 months in 600- to 1,200-liter Assmann barrels and another year in stainless steel, the 2023 Silvaner Steinkante is pure and intense on the chalky, saline and concentrated, lemony nose of bright seed fruits intertwined with pencil shaving nuances and the iodine nuances of the Ingelheim soils. Sourced in the Im Steinacker, this is a medium-bodied and juicy yet refined and elegant, enormously saline and mouthwatering phenolic Sylvaner with remarkable purity and lightness yet also intensity. 12.5% stated alcohol. Diam 10 cork. Tasted in April 2026." —Stephan Reinhardt

More about Saalwachter

Carsten Saalwächter is being called one of Germany's most exciting young winemakers, and he runs a historic vineyard that Paul Christian Saalwächter founded in 1853. Located in Ingelheim in the Rheingau, it's on limestone-rich soils that give wines precision and complexity. Carsten makes elegant, gastronomic Burgundy-style wines from Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, plus slate-grown reds from Assmannshausen. Natural winemaking meets German precision.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Silvaner

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Style

    Crisp

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Light Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

White asparagus with hollandaise or brown butter; pan-fried trout with almonds; Flammkuchen with crème fraîche, onion and bacon; veal schnitzel with a lemon wedge and cucumber salad.

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic dry Silvaner profile: green apple, pear and fresh herbs, with a quiet earthy, stony edge from the limestone soils. It's typically medium-bodied with a gentle, slightly creamy texture and the fresh acidity of a cool, windy site, finishing clean, dry and lightly savoury. Think of a more herbal, mineral take on Pinot Blanc.

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WINE GUIDES

German Wines

Is there a better grape than Riesling? Is there a better value? Its fruit purity, its perfume, and its mineral nuance are all unparalleled. And for centuries, the top German Rieslings were priced accordingly: at least as expensive as the top red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But nowadays you could spend a lifetime exploring Germany’s great Riesling-producing regions while staying well within your budget. You might take an occasional break to try Germany’s other white grapes or perhaps a glass of Spätburgunder (the local name for Pinot Noir). It’s time to get started!

Learn more about German Wines