Last year on the first of January, we opened a magnum bottle of Rheingau Riesling – it was a First Growth – and realized how beautiful those wines can age in such big containers. Plus, it’s quite a festive manner to drink and a good way to start the new year with a big bang.

So I decided to repeat the experience this year, and I think this ritual has good chances to become a tradition for the years to come.  As many friends were expected for a late brunch with pizza, quiche and lentil soup, I opened 4 magnums of German white wine. Of course, to variate pleasures, I opted for 4 different styles and 3 different varietals.

We started with a magnum-bottle from Franconia, the German wine region probably most known for its Silvaner wines (although in quantity, Rheinhessen produces most of this varietal). Silvaner used to have a reputation for being a simple and overly fruity wine that pleased grandmothers and should be drunk fast, but there are now more and more specimen that could be qualified as premium dry white wine, with traits only such wines can have. Read the rest of this entry »