Shift the shape of end

Jun 18, 2023

If you came of age in the Nixon era, you no doubt remember Mateus, the sweetly sparkling, vividly pink Portuguese export housed in a bulbous glass bottle. Who can forget the ‘70s television commercial featuring an American couple cavorting through the streets of Lisbon, flirting over glasses of the iconic rosé? Those images — not to mention the commercial’s earworm of a jingle — are lodged deep in memory; so much so, that when you encounter a similarly shaped vessel on a shop shelf, you might assume its contents are akin to the sugary potation of decades prior. But if you look closer at the label, and spy trocken — “dry” in German — don’t bypass this bottle, especially if your tastes no longer lean soda-pop sweet.

In Franken, the winelands east of Frankfurt hugging the course of the Main River, producers have been coaxing dry, minerally excellence from the Silvaner grape for more than 350 years. Occasionally, you’ll see the grape’s full name, Grüner Silvaner, to distinguish it from a rare red-skinned variety. In the early 18th century, the traditional Bocksbeutel — a sturdy vessel shaped like a flattened ellipsoid — was deemed the container of choice for wine from the region’s most famous vineyard. Later, the shape came to signify pours hailing from Franken generally. These days, you are more likely to find these curvaceous bottles under screw cap than cork. But the full-figured format (containing 750 ml, just like its taller, more svelte counterparts) remains unmistakable. Also impossible to miss is the artistry of the accomplished makers featured in this month’s tasting.

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Since 2018, Peter Leipold has been crafting stellar wines from 15 acres of his family’s estate vineyards in the municipality of Obervolkach. His former employer, Rheinhessen heavyweight Klaus Peter Keller, speaks glowingly of Leipold, praising him for his intuitive feel for winemaking. The next-generation maker’s acumen is on display in a Prädikatswein Kabinett silvaner called “Muschelkalk,” named for a fossil-rich limestone on which the grape variety thrives. Eighteen hours of skin maceration, as well as two separate fermentations — one in stainless steel, another spontaneously prompted in barrel — lend character to the captivatingly energetic finished product.

From Weingut Leipold, travel southwest to Franken’s oldest wine cooperative, Winzer Sommerach, established in 1901 in the village of the same name. Today, 90 families, several of whom live full-time on the estate, farm nearly 500 acres of vines. They craft their wines in a newly renovated cellar, showing them off in a sleek adjoining vinotheque situated at the foot of the flagship Katzenkopf vineyard. (In one telling, the venerable vineyard name, which translates to “cat’s head,” refers to the feline on the coat of arms of the von Katz family, a noble lineage of landowners.) On the front label of a village-level silvaner called “Sommeracher,” you can spy an image of a tabby, peering out from behind miniscule font detailing the names of the co-op’s members.

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Bocksbeutel in hand? Your end-of-summer sipping is shaping up to be absolutely brilliant.

Weingut Leipold “Muschelkalk” Silvaner Trocken 2021 Crystalline in clarity, this regal-looking silvaner is minerally fresh, with scents of wet river stones taking precedence over of yellow tree fruit. Its dry palate, offering bright acidity, conveys precisely polished mineral tension, along with lemon, saline, and lime flower notes. 12 percent ABV. Distributed by Vineyard Road. Around $30. Retailers include: Momma’s Grocery + Wine, North Cambridge; Craft and Cru, Milton.

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Winzer Sommerach “Sommeracher” Silvaner Trocken 2020 This day-bright silvaner offers aromas of ripe yellow orchard fruit, lime leaves, and waterfall freshness, leading to a dry, minerally palate saturated with green apple and lemon tanginess, all conveyed by straightforward acidity. 12.5 percent ABV. Distributed by AP Wine Imports. Around $20. Retailers include: Ball Square Fine Wines, Somerville; Wasik’s Cheese Shop, Wellesley.

Ellen Bhang can be reached at [email protected]