Some years ago me and my friend came up with an excellent idea: we really should have a series of tastings in which we would taste through all the 51 Grand Crus of Alsace. However, we didn’t want to make things too easy so that we could just buy any Alsace Grand Cru we happened to come across and just hava a bunch of random Alsace Grand Cru tastings. Instead we wanted to split these 51 Grand Crus into four distinct tastings, all of them having a certain theme. These themes would quite logically be:
- Riesling
- Gewurztraminer
- Pinot Gris
- All the rest
It took some planning and hardcore Excel cross-referencing before we had finally managed to come up with a proper buying plan - we had to check out which varieties were grown in which Grand Crus; which wines were available to us; and if we purchased one wine with a certain Grand Cru and a certain variety, would it exclude some other wine which would be necessary in another tasting later on.
Furthermore, we also decided that - as far as it was possible - we didn’t want just any Grand Cru wines, but preferably either a wine from a well-respected producer making acclaimed Grand Crus; or a small producer which we hadn’t heard of before and wanted to know more about! It would’ve been much easier to have 50% of the wines sourced from one or a few large co-ops that produce tons of different Grand Crus, but we didn’t want to go that way. Additionally, we allowed also wines that weren’t officially AOC Grand Cru, but were known to be made with fruit from a certain Grand Cru vineyard.
Anyways, long story short: come the end of 2023, we had finally managed to acquire all the bottles - it took us some three years to collect all of them! So far we’ve had now three of the four tastings (we are yet to have the Riesling tasting) and we kicked off the tasting series with Gewurztraminer in early 2024.
One of the best sources of Grand Crus from which we sourced the wines was the internet shop Alsace Vintage, which was really a godsend - ultimately we bought probably almost 50% of the required wines from that one shop alone! (Their website seems to be down at the moment - I hope this is just temporary and they have not closed permanently.)
A few observations:
I had always thought that a Gewurztraminer from Alsace is probably the easiest style of wine to identify in a blind tasting. Its heady aromatics of lychees and rosewater are so obvious and instantly recognizable that there is no way that you can’t miss them! Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case, according to this tasting. I was honestly quite baffled by how relatively few wines actually showed any obvious Gewurztraminer aromatics!
I’ve since studied a bit on this aforementioned subject. First of all: as some of you already know, Gewurztraminer is genetically identical to Savagnin - it just has first developed a pink-skinned mutation (a Savagnin Rosé mutation*), then developed another mutation that has made it aromatic (a Gewurztraminer mutation). Apparently many producers actually farm both Gewurztraminer and Savagnin Rosé, but consider these the same variety (which, technically, is correct) - they just say that some of the grapes are more aromatic than the others.
(*One appellation in Alsace - Klevener de Heiligenstein - actually specializes in Savagnin Rosé: this style of wine is made from Savagnin grapes that have developed that pink-skin mutation, but not the aromatic mutation, meaning that the wines are like Gewurztraminers in body, fruit and texture, but lack those typical, perfumed Gewurztraminer aromatics!)
This means that depending on how much you have “aromatic” Gewurztraminer in your vineyards has a considerable impact on how aromatic your wine is going to be. Some wines don’t actually have that much aromatic intensity.
Furthermore, apparently the approach to the Gewurztraminer and its aromatics has changed to some degree. In the 1960’s, higher-yielding, very aromatic but otherwise somewhat inferior Gewurztraminer clones became very popular (and still are with many producers). Additionally, there seems to be some conflicting information regarding the Gewurztraminer aromas: some producers say the grape needs to attain full ripeness before they develop their aromatic intensity, while other producers say that usually those heady, floral aromas come from grapes that are planted in soil that is less ideal for Gewurztraminer cultivation and in which the grapes struggle to ripen fully - the exuberant Gewurztraminer aromas are signs of grapes that not attained full ripeness, as the grapes produce more balanced but less aromatic and perfumed wines when they are fully ripe. You can read more about this in this article.
Finally, we accidentally opened one bottle that was supposed to be tasted in another tasting - that 1989 Hugel Sporen. It wasn’t a Gewurztraminer, but instead a rare Gentil-style blend composed of the best Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Muscat grapes, made to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the winery. Typically blends are not allowed in Sporen, so I don’t know whether they made an exception for this wine, or if this was just an unofficial Grand Cru.
Anyways, here is the list of the Grand Crus, and I've bolded the names of which we have tasted so far after this tasting (click the arrow to show the list).
Altenberg de Bergbieten
Altenberg de Bergheim
Altenberg de Wolxheim
Brand
Bruderthal
Eichberg
Engelberg
Florimont
Frankstein
Froehn
Furstentum
Geisberg
Gloeckelberg
Goldert
Hatschbourg
Hengst
Kaefferkopf
Kanzlerberg
Kastelberg
Kessler
Kirchberg de Barr
Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé
Kitterlé
Mambourg
Mandelberg
Marckrain
Moenchberg
Muenchberg
Ollwiller
Osterberg
Pfersigberg
Pfingstberg
Praelatenberg
Rangen
Rosacker
Saering
Schlossberg
Schoenenbourg
Sommerberg
Sonnenglanz
Spiegel
Sporen
Steinert
Steingrubler
Steinklotz
Vorbourg
Wiebelsberg
Wineck-Schlossberg
Winzenberg
Zinnkoepflé
Zotzenberg
And, as always, we had a handful of extra bottles in addition to these Alsatian wines. All included in the tasting notes.
- 2008 Domaine Frédéric Mochel Gewurztraminer Altenberg de Bergbieten - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% organically farmed Gewurztraminer from 50-yo vines in Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergbieten. Bottled in mid-July 2009. The back label says the wine is 13,5% in alcohol, whereas the website tech sheet gives the following details: 14,4% alcohol, 15 g/l residual sugar and 6,2 g/l acidity.
Pale golden yellow color. The nose feels sweetish, a bit restrained for the variety and surprisingly youthful for the age with nuanced aromas of perfumed floral tones, some lychee notes, a little bit of honeyed richness, light orange-driven citrus fruit notes and a hint of beeswax. The wine feels waxy, medium-dry and quite balanced on the palate with a moderately full body and clean flavors of lemon marmalade, some exotic spices, a little bit of apple jam, light mineral notes of wet stones, exotic hints of lychee and persimmon and a vague touch of Play-Doh. The medium-to-moderately high acidity doesn't really bring much freshness to the wine, but keeps it nicely in balance. The finish is broad, moderately acid-driven and quite long with an aftertaste of beeswax and acacia honey, some lychee, light sweeter notes of apple jam, a hint of sweet exotic spices and a touch of perfumed floral character.
A nice, tasty and surprisingly youthful Gewurztraminer that is pretty true to the variety. I expected the wine to be more floral and exuberant, but it turned out to be a bit on the shy side. There's definitely some sweetness, but the acidity keeps everything in check and the overall impression is only medium-dry - albeit on the rich side of the spectrum. Good stuff, but nothing that would blow your socks off. Although the wine is surprisingly youthful for its age, I'm not sure if there is much to be gained with additional aging. Drink or keep. Priced according to its quality at 21€.
(90 points) - 2018 Clément Lissner Gewurztraminer Altenberg de Wolxheim - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% organically farmed Gewurztramined from Grand Cru Altenberg de Wolxheim, where Lissner farms their vineyards according to a very minimum-interventionist philosophy. The grapes are harvested very late, basically over-ripe. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in old foudres and stainless steel tanks. 16% alcohol, 7-15 g/l residual sugar.
Pale, hazy and very light lime-green color. The nose feels wild, somewhat natty and weirdly green-toned with aromas of phenolic spicy notes of brett, some VA, a little bit of beeswax, light spirituous notes of alcohol, a green-toned hint of birch leaves, a touch of ripe pear and a whiff of overripe apricot. The wine feels wild, broad and rather warm - even a bit hot - on the palate with a full body and rather sauvage flavors of apple jam, some lifted notes of VA, a little bit of phenolic spice, light nuances of beeswax, fruity hints of pear and ripe citrus fruits and a weird touch of leafy greenness. The medium acidity feels too low for such a big and (over-)ripe wine. The finish is juicy, wild and rather hot with a rich, medium-long aftertaste of apple jam, some herby and leafy green notes, a little bit of ripe pear, light lifted notes of VA, a hint of beeswax and a touch of overripe apricot.
A heavy, hot and ponderous Gewurztraminer that feels just natty and overripe, not really showing any varietal characteristics. Had the wine been served blind, I would've had hard time identifying the wine as a Gewurztraminer. Not a particularly enjoyable wine. Overpriced for the quality at 21,50€.
(76 points) - 1989 Hugel Sporen - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
A special Gentil-style bottling of the Hugel Jubilee range, labeled "Hugel" Sporen. Made for the celebration of the 350th anniversary of Hugel with fruit sourced from Grand Cru Sporen. A blend of Pinot Gris (40%), Gewurztraminer (25%), Riesling (25%) and Muscat (10%). 13% alcohol.
Pale golden yellow color. The nose feels old, tired and rather pungent with sharp, nutty notes of rancio, some dull earthy notes, a little bit of decomposing wood and a hint of dried yellow fruits. The wine feels tired, old and slightly oily on the palate with a medium body and very tertiary flavors of oxidative nuttiness, some decomposing wood notes, a little bit of bruised apple, light salty rancio tones and a hint of dried yellow fruit. The wine is high in acidity. The finish is old and tired with dull flavors of oxidative nuttiness, some dull notes of decomposing wood, light earthy tones, a little bit of bruised apple and a hint of salinity.
This was badly past its peak. Tired, dull and oxidative. Somewhat drinkable, but not particularly enjoyable.
(NR/flawed) - 2018 Kientzler Gewurztraminer Osterberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Osterberg. 13,5% alcohol, 20 g/l residual sugar.
Pale, youthful and rather neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels ripe and somewhat waxy but also a bit neutral (surprising for the variety!) with aromas of juicy Golden Delicious apple, some white peach, light honeyed tones and a hint of sweet floral character. The wine feels ripe, juicy and waxy on the palate with a rather full body and medium-sweet flavors of juicy yellow apples, some honeyed tones, a little bit of white peach, light stony minerality and a hint of cantaloupe. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine pretty balanced and quite fresh. The finish is juicy, ripe and rather long with a quite long aftertaste of white peach, some honeyed tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light appley nuances and a hint of beeswax.
A nice and pleasant but also somewhat neutral and linear effort - especially for a Gewurztraminer. To me, this didn't really feel like a Gewurztraminer at any point - it was more like a medium-sweet Savagnin (which is, technically speaking, the same variety - only without the aromatic terpenes). While a nice wine in its own right, there wasn't anything particularly memorable here, due to the lack of Gewurztraminer's typical varietal aromatics. I can imagine this wine can go well with dishes that call for wines with some residual sugar, but other than that, this might be a difficult wine to pair with anything.
(90 points) - 2017 Hubert Metz Gewurztraminer Winzenberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% Gewurztraminer from the Grand Cru Winzenberg, harvested in October 2017. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, aged on the lees until the summer 2018, bottled in autumn 2018. 15,5% alcohol, 26,3 g/l residual sugar and 5,3 g/l acidity.
Quite youthful and rather intense medium-deep neon yellow-green color. The nose feels very sweet, fragrant and perfumed with varietally correct aromas of lychee, some rosewater, a little bit of ripe pear, light honeyed nuances, a hint of sweet exotic spices and a touch of apple sauce. The wine feels voluminous, oily and somewhat warm on the palate with a full body and medium-sweet flavors of lychee, some rosewater, a little bit of apple jam, light sweet pear tones, a hint of extracted or overripe waxy character and a boozy touch of alcohol. Despite the elevated ripeness, the substantial body and the residual sugar, the acidity still manages to keep the wine enjoyably fresh and balanced. The finish is juicy, moderately warm and quite lengthy with a medium-sweet and somewhat waxy aftertaste of extracted or overripe spicy character, some floral notes of rosewater, a little bit of ripe pear, light sweet notes of honeyed richness, a hint of lychee and a touch of apple jam. The high alcohol lends a somewhat noticeable touch of warmth to the aftertaste.
A sophisticated, tasty and noticeably ripe Grand Cru Gewurztraminer that is very true to the variety. Only the alcohol feels a tad too high here and at times the wine comes across as a bit too ripe with that somewhat spicy and waxy overripe taste. With a lower level of alcohol and a bit more freshness this would've been a very lovely wine indeed, but even with its drawbacks this is a solid young Gewurztraminer. Priced according to its quality at 20€.
(91 points) - 2017 Mélanie Pfister Gewurztraminer Engelberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Engelberg. 13,9% alcohol, 26,3 g/l residual sugar and 5,1 g/l acidity.
Youthful, pale herby-green color. The nose feels quite ripe but also a bit understated with vague aromas of overripe, extracted waxy character, some sweet honeyed tones, a little bit of sunny apricot-driven stone fruit character and a spirituous hint of alcohol. The wine feels juicy, oily and quite rich on the palate with a full body and rather intense, medium-sweet flavors of white peach, some apple jam, light roasted and waxy notes that suggest rather high levels of dry extract, a little bit of exotic spice and a hint of honeyed sweetness. The medium acidity doesn't really feel adequately high for such a ripe, sweet wine. The finish is rich, juicy and slightly warm with a rather long medium-sweet aftertaste of white peach, some honeyed tones, a little bit of exotic spice, light apple jam notes, an extracted hint of that vaguely roasted character and a touch of poached pear.
A nice but also maybe a bit too ripe and soft Gewurztraminer that is maybe a bit too high in dry extract - the spicy and waxy flavors and the overall super-solar character did mask away some of the finer nuances, making the wine just come across as rich, fruity and honeyed in character. The overall style is that of a wine that might be wonderful in a cool vintage, but which gets a bit over-the-top in warmer vintages. I hope this wine would develop some sense of finesse and tertiary complexity with bottle age. While a somewhat enjoyable wine in its own right, it still feels a bit pricey for the quality at 35€.
(89 points) - 2020 Domaine Laurent Barth Gewurztraminer Marckrain Vin Moelleux - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% organically farmed Gewurztraminer from 30 to 60 yo vines in Grand Cru Marckrain. Fermented and aged in 600-liter demi-muids and ancient 1500-liter foudres. 14% alcohol.
Quite youthful, medium-deep lime-green color. The nose feels aromatic and characterful with intense aromas of chamomile and herby pilsner-like notes of noble hops, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of sweet tropical fruit, light turmeric-driven notes of earthy exotic spices and a hint of ripe apricot. The wine feels rich, sweet and slightly warm on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of acacia honey and ripe peach, some exotic spices, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light apricot jam notes, a pilsner-like hint of herby noble hops and a touch of beeswax. The medium acidity feels like it is a bit on the low side for such a sweet wine like this, but the wine still manages to come across as pretty balanced, all things considered. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately long with a sweet aftertaste of white peach and acacia honey, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of pilsner-like herbal hoppy character, light floral nuances of chamomile, a hint of fresh nectarine and a touch of earthy spices.
A nice, rich and tasty Grand Cru Gewurztraminer from the noticeably sweet end of the spectrum. I'm not sure if this could pass off as a full-blown dessert wine, but for sure this is an excellent companion to any savory desserts or aromatic cheeses. Although the alcohol feels a bit high and the acidity a bit low, the wine is still thoroughly enjoyable and surprisingly balanced. I'm sure I'd love this wine a lot more if it had more acidity and less alcohol, but this is a very pleasant effort all the same. Drinking really well right now, but might continue to evolve and improve for at least a handful of years more.
(92 points) - 2016 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Furstentum Vieilles Vignes - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% organically farmed Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Furstentum. Fermented spontaneously and aged in stainless steel tanks. 13% alcohol, 32 g/l residual sugar.
Youthful, rather neutral and quite pale whitish-green color. The nose feels clean and youthful but also surprisingly reticent with light, fruit-driven aromas of white peach, some nectarine notes, a little bit of savory spice, light sweet appley tones and a hint of fresh pear. The wine feels clean, broad and moderately oily on the palate with a full body and sweetish flavors of juicy white peach, some nectarine tones, a little bit of crunchy red apple, light nuances of pear and a hint of phenolic spice, suggesting high levels of dry extract. The medium acidity is quite a bit on the soft side, making the wine feel a bit blowzy and lacking in freshness. The finish is juicy, rich and moderately long with a rather sweet aftertaste of white peach, some apple jam, a little bit of honeyed richness, light nectarine tones, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of slightly bitter spice.
A pleasant and tasty but also a bit fat, broad and blowzy Gewurztraminer that is just very fruity but very shy in the varietal characteristics. If somebody would come and tell me that this is actually Pinot Gris, I wouldn't need any persuasion - this feels more like a medium-sweet Pinot Gris rather than a Gewurztraminer! There's no floral tones, no lychee, no exotic spices - just very rich white fruit flavors and some honeyed tones. This is an enjoyable - albeit a bit ponderous - white wine from the sweeter end, but not really what you'd expect from a Grand Cru Gewurztraminer.
(90 points) - 2012 Domaine Sylvie Spielmann Gewurztraminer Kanzlerberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Kanzlerberg. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 9 months in stainless steel tanks. 12,46% alcohol, 38,3 g/l residual sugar and 5,55 g/l acidity.
Quite intense, medium-deep and somewhat intense yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit understated, somewhat dull and slightly tired with aromas of damp wool, some almond flour notes, a little bit of wizened mealy apple, light mineral notes of stone dust and a hint of creaminess. The wine feels broad, oily and a bit dull on the palate with a full body and somewhat sweetish flavors of white peach, some damp wool, a little bit of apple jam, light mineral notes of stone dust, a hint of honeyed richness and an oxidative touch of bruised apple. The medium acidity feels somewhat soft and lacking in freshness and cut. The finish is quite juicy and rather long with a somewhat understated aftertaste of white peach, some woolly notes of lanolin, a little bit of honey, light mineral chalky tones, a hint of ripe golden apple and a touch of almond paste.
A balanced but also somewhat dull and uninteresting Grand Cru Gewurztraminer. Lacks freshness, aromatic complexity and vibrancy, coming across as understated and a bit soft. I honestly couldn't pick up any varietal characteristics typical of Gewurztraminer and this felt more like an Alsatian Pinot Gris slightly past its peak. Comes across as a bit expensive for the quality at 29,20€.
(82 points) - 2016 Domaine Stoeffler Gewurztraminer Kirchberg de Barr - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% organically farmed Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr. 13% alcohol. No idea about the residual sugar, labeled as moelleux.
Pale, youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels sweetish and somewhat waxy with rich aromas of beeswax, some pear, light floral notes of rosewater, a little bit of something vaguely plastic and a hint of Sultana raisins. The wine feels lively, fresh and balanced on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, quite sweet flavors of lemony citrus fruits and crunchy quince, some ripe pear and apple jam, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of rosewater and fragrant spices, again a hint of something plastic and a sweet touch of Sultana raisins. The acidity feels surprisingly high, offsetting some of the sweetness quite nicely. The finish is rich, juicy and rather lengthy with a moderately sweet aftertaste of white peach and ripe nectarine, some apple jam, light raisiny notes of Sultanas, a little bit of stony minerality, a floral hint of rosewater and a touch of exotic spices.
A very nice, balanced and surprisingly fresh and precise Grand Cru Gewurztraminer, despite its somewhat noticeable sweetness. There's a little bit of odd, somewhat plastic character in the nose and in the taste that slightly detracts from the pleasure and takes a minor toll on my final score - without it this wine would've hit even higher points. I don't know if it is bottle variation or if it could disappear with bottle age, so perhaps another bottle would perform even better. Nevertheless, this was a very lovely, harmonious and quite impressive Gewurztraminer from the rather sweet - but not yet dessert wine-sweet - end of the spectrum. Seeing how youthful the wine was at 7½ years of age, I can imagine this will continue to age wonderfully.
(91 points) - 2017 Domaine Allimant-Laugner Gewurztraminer Praelatenberg - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% Gewurztraminer from parcels averaging 30 yo in Grand Cru Praelatenberg. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12,95% alcohol, 48,3 g/l residual sugar and 4,5 g/l acidity.
Almost colorless whitish-green appearance. The nose feels clean, nuanced and slightly perfumed with aromas of ripe pear, some beeswax, light Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of heady exotic spices, a hint of honeydew melon, a floral touch of roses and other fragrant flowers and a waxy whiff suggesting elevated ripeness. The wine feels clean, broad and juicy on the palate with a full body and sweet flavors of beeswax, orange marmalade and apple jam, some honeydew melon tones, a little bit of ripe pear, light floral notes of rosewater, a hint of cloudberry jam and a touch of oriental spices. The only thing the wine is lacking a bit in is the acid department: the soft medium acidity feels a bit inadequate in contrast to the rich, broad and sweet overall feel of the wine. The finish is rich, juicy and a bit oily with a rather long and quite sweet aftertaste of white peach and honeydew melon, some ripe pear, a little bit of beeswax, light floral notes of rosewater, a hint of cloudberry jam and a touch of exotic spices.
A rich, vibrant and varietally correct Grand Cru Gewurztraminer with lots of everything - except for acidity. The overall feel is very round and even a bit fat, so the wine could've benefited a lot from higher acidity. Other than that, this is a lovely sweet Gewurztraminer. Not really dessert wine-sweet, but still a perfect wine for savory desserts and pungent, funky cheeses. However, with this much sugar and this little acidity, I think this might be a more difficult one to pair with regular food dishes. Nevertheless, as the wine is still very youthful and vibrant, not really showing any age, I can imagine this will develop and improve wonderfully in a cellar. Drink now or somewhere in the future - I don't think you are going to be in a hurry with this one. Great value at 22€.
(92 points) - 2016 Domaine Jean-Marie Haag Gewurztraminer Zinnkoepflé Cuvée Marie - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé. 13% alcohol, 42 g/l residual sugar.
Pale, youthful and rather colorless whitish-green appearance. The nose feels quite sweet, somewhat reticent and weirdly a bit pungent with aromas of lemon marmalade and lime juice, some ripe appley tones, a little bit of pear jam, light sharp gaseous tones (SO2?), a hint of chopped herbs and a touch of grapey fruit. The wine feels rich, oily and quite ripe on the palate with a full body and rather intense flavors of apple jam, some lime marmalade, light grapey tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, a hint of overripe pear and a touch of lychee. The acidity feels rather high, which is enough to keep such a big and sweet wine nicely in balance. The finish is rich, juicy and persistent with an intense aftertaste of apple jam, some white peach, a little bit of lime marmalade, light grapey tones, a hint of sweet oriental spices and a touch of overripe pear.
A juicy, rich and youthful Grand Cru Gewurztraminer from the rather sweet end of the spectrum. The actual varietal characteristics of Gewurztraminer were surprisingly absent here and the overall feel was just very rich and fruit-driven with very little emphasis on any lychee or floral or spicy notes. Nevertheless, this was a harmonious and well-crafted medium-sweet to sweetish white wine. The wine is very enjoyable right now, but seeing how the overall feel is still so vibrant and youthful, I can see this wine evolving and improving for many years more. Good value at 23€.
(93 points) - 1996 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer Steingrübler - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Steingrübler. 13,5% alcohol.
Evolved and slightly hazy bronze color. The nose feels sweet, evolved and complex with quite tertiary aromas of acacia honey, some stewed rose hips, a little bit of apple jam, light oxidative caramel tones, a fragrant hint of Earl Grey tea, a raisiny touch of Sultanas and a whiff of new car smell. The wine feels evolved, somewhat viscous and very complex on the palate with a medium body and medium-sweet flavors of pear jam and apple sauce, some oxidative nutty and caramel tones, a little bit of coffee, light salty notes of rancio, a hint of black tea and a touch of stony minerality. The rather high acidity keeps the wine surprisingly fresh and helps to moderate the sweetness. The finish is rich, long and evolved with a complex, medium-sweet aftertaste of roasted nuts and coffee, some apple jam tones, a little bit of Seville orange rind, light salty notes of rancio, a hint of Oolong tea and a touch of caramel.
A beautiful, wonderfully evolved and still surprisingly fresh and precise Grand Cru Gewurztraminer at its peak. The overall feel is starting to get somewhat oxidative, but fortunately not at all oxidized. There are so many layers here, perfectly melding together with the sweetness from the residual sugar - yet the wine never once comes across as heavy, ponderous or too sweet. A fantastic wine. As the wine isn't going to develop any additional complexity with further aging, I heartily suggest drinking this sooner rather than later - you really want to catch this wine at its apogee.
(94 points) - 2012 Bott-Geyl Gewurztraminer Sonnenglanz - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Sonnenglanz. Fermented spontaneously and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled lightly filtered. 13,5% alcohol, sweetness level 5/9.
Deep, quite intense yellow-green color with a golden core. The nose feels sweetish, perfumed and quite intense with layered aromas of acacia honey and lemon marmalade, some canned pineapple tones, a little bit of apricot, light pear notes, a hint of floral spice and a touch of honeydew melon. The wine feels rich, oily and slightly warm with a full body and intense, sweet flavors of pineapple and dried peach, some pear jam and apple sauce, a little bit of stony minerality, light notes of persimmon, a hint of floral spice and a touch of beeswax. Considering how sweet and voluminous the wine is, the acidity feels surprisingly high and structured. The finish is rich, long and slightly warm with an intense, sweetish aftertaste of peach and persimmon, some dried pineapple, light apple jam tones, a little bit of acacia honey, a hint of ripe pear and a floral touch of crushed rose petals.
A super rich, concentrated and sweet Grand Cru Gewurztraminer bordering on dessert wine, yet staying on this side of the line - just barely. However, the wine shows remarkable sense of balance for such a sweet wine, thanks to its high acidity. At 11½ years of age, the wine is starting to show a little bit of development, but I'm sure this will continue to evolve and improve nicely for many, many years more. Expect the score to slowly inch up as the wine ages. Recommended.
(93 points) - 1999 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Hengst - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru (10.1.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Gewurztraminer from Grand Cru Hengst. 15% alcohol.
Moderately hazy golden-yellow color with a pale bronze core. The nose feels not that traditional Gewurztraminer, but still very complex and attractive with characterful aromas of sea buckthorn juice and acacia honey, some beeswax, light floral notes along with Earl Grey tea nuances, a little bit of Sichuan pepper, a herby hint of noble hops, a touch of dried yellow fruits and a fragrant whiff of oriental spices. The wine feels firm, evolved and sinewy on the palate with a medium body and intense medium-sweet flavors of ripe citrus fruits and ripe persimmon, some fragrant notes of sweet oriental spices, a little bit of dried apricot, light honeyed and beeswaxy tones, oxidative hints of roasted nuts and almond paste and a touch of apple jam. The overall feel is surprisingly fresh, structured and precise for such a sweet and even slightly viscous Gewurztraminer. The finish is long, evolved and complex with an intense aftertaste of ripe persimmon and dried yellow fruits, some toasty notes of roasted nuts, a little bit of acacia honey, a light stony mineral tones, a hint of tart sea buckthorn juice and a perfumed touch of dried flowers.
What a banger! This is a wonderfully evolved, surprisingly structured and impressively complex Grand Cru Gewurztraminer at its peak. Although moderately sweet and quite concentrated in overall character, the wine retains a level of freshness that is very rare in a Gewurztraminer - apart some other Zind-Humbrecht wines! Seeing how they operate in a minimum-interventionist fashion, it always stuns me how they can achieve this kind of intensity and precision with just deft viticulture and winemaking. As the wine is now at its plateau of maturity and most likely won't evolve and/or improve any further from here, any further aging is unnecessary. Drink now or in the near future.
(95 points)
The extras:
- 2016 Pavelot Pére & fils Saint-Romain Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Romain (10.1.2024)
13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Slightly evolved straw-yellow color. The nose feels somewhat ripe and a bit sweet-toned with nuanced aromas of juicy Golden Delicious apple and fresh pineapple, some creamy oak tones, light woody notes of savory oak spice, light cantaloupe nuances, a hint of banana and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The wine feels quite ripe and juicy yet still fresh on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of ripe citrus fruits, some stony minerality, a little bit of cantaloupe, light bitter apple peel tones, oaky hints of savory wood and creaminess and a touch of plantain. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and freshness to the wine. The dry finish is crisp and lively with a very long aftertaste of sharp Granny Smith apple and cantaloupe, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of chalky and slightly quinine bitterness, light nuances of pineapple, a hint of banana or plantain and a touch of lemony citrus fruit.
A sophisticated, fresh and still relatively youthful white Burgundy. Contrasting this bottle to the one I tasted some three years ago, this wine felt a bit more evolved and it seems the wine is developing in the right direction. I would've rated the wine a point higher, if it weren't for that bitterness that I hadn't noticed in the previous bottle and which started to become a bit distracting at times. I don't know if it was something that has emerged with bottle age - and if it is something that will disappear with further aging? Whatever the case, this is still a very nice white Burg and a bargain at just 16€.
(90 points) - 2021 Grangeon et Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cristia Collection - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10.1.2024)
A blend of organically farmed Grenache Blanc (65%), Roussanne (25%) and Clairette (15%) from 25-yo vineyards in the Cristia locality, located in the eastern part of the appellation. Aged for 10 months in stainless steel tanks. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite pale and almost colorless whitish-green color. The nose feels ripe and sweet-toned but also quite neutral with vague aromas of some white fruits, light waxy tones and a hint of earthy spices. The wine feels dry and quite fresh but also rather neutral and underwhelming on the palate with a moderately full body and light flavors of fresh white fruits, some appley tones, a little bit of stony minerality, a hint of earthy spice and a touch of crunchy white currant. The rather high acidity lends good sense of freshness to the wine. The finish is quite acid-driven but also rather neutral with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh yellow apple, some vague white fruit notes and a subtle hint of something plastic-y.
A rather underwhelming, neutral and uninteresting white. I guess I should've guessed this was a Southern Rhône white, since I often find those lacking in aromas and flavors. However, this was a surprisingly fresh and light effort for a white Pape! Usually I find those wines plodding, heavy and excessively high in alcohol, but this was surprisingly fresh, relatively light in body (for the appellation) and rather high in acidity. I really hope the wine might develop some depth and complexity with age, but seeing there is very little of anything to develop, I'm afraid this wine is merely boring now but after some aging it will be just boring and old.
(80 points) - 2022 Cantillon Brewery Baie d'Argousier - Belgium, Brussels (10.1.2024)
A "tyrnilambic" aka. lambic brewed with sea buckthorn (tyrni in Finnish, argousier in French), originally bottled as an exclusive special bottling for One Pint Pub, Helsinki, Finland. Fermented spontaneously, aged in oak barrels, flavored with sea buckthorn, The bottle is closed with a cork, but also with a crown cap just to keep the cork in its place so that the pressure from CO2 wouldn't push the cork out. Bottled in May 19th, 2022 and best before May 2032. 5% alcohol.
Cloudy orange color and a large, moderately persistent and creamy-smooth white head. The nose feels intense, sharp and noticeably funky with aromas of bretty leather and some outhouse ammonia tones, a little bit of leather juice, light sea buckthorn notes and a barnyardy hint of horse stables. The beer feels dry, tart and quite robust on the palate with a medium body and sharp, tangy flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some leathery notes of bretty funk, a little bit of sea buckthorn, light rustic notes of outhouse and barnyard, a hint of grainy malt and a sharp touch of green apple. The carbonation feels pretty soft and there is no hop bitterness to speak of. The finish is dry, long and quite tart with a funky aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some bretty notes of leather and barnyard, a little bit of green apple, light sea buckthorn notes, a hint of salinity and a touch of earth.
An excellent, characterful and very unapologetic lambic that is rather lean, noticeably sour and bone-dry. This brew might be way too much for people who dislike funky stuff, because the rustic brettanomyces aromas are pretty much to the fore here, but if one is fine with some barnyardy action, this beer is nothing short of amazing. Most likely it will age wonderfully for another ten years or so. Highly recommended for people who love sour, funky stuff.
(95 points) - 2015 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Alte Badstube am Doctorberg Riesling Großes Gewächs Bernkasteler Ring Alte Reben - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10.1.2024)
12,5% alcohol, 9 g/l residual sugar and 6,7 g/l acidity. Tasted blind.
Somewhat evolved, medium-deep golden yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels sweet, expressive and somewhat evolved with aromas of lemon marmalade, some petrolly diesel notes, a little bit of ripe peach, light steely mineral tones, a hint of juicy Golden Delicious apple, a floral touch of apple blossom and a whiff of mineral spice. The wine feels dry, precise and slightly viscous on the palate with a moderately full body and intense flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some beeswax, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of ripe Granny Smith apple, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of tangy salinity. The finish is ripe, dry and juicy with a long, incisive aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some evolved petrolly notes of diesel, a little bit of beeswax, light sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a hint of fresh peach and a touch of floral character.
A nice, wonderfully structured and refreshing GG Riesling. Not particularly complex or characterful, this is more like a sleek, polished GG Riesling where the emphasis is on the high acidity and cool minerality, not on nuances or depth of flavor. I was surprised how relatively little the wine had evolved since my last taste five years ago - the wine had developed a little bit of evolved diesel character and maybe a bit more concentrated viscosity in its texture, but nothing beyond that. Although I'm repeating myself here, I seem to have put all the necessary information in the conclusion of my previous tasting note on this same wine: "It's a great wine that's hard not to like, but it is slightly lacking distinction. Maybe it will gain some character and complexity with age? At least the wine is built to last for a long time. It feels overpriced for the style at 40,30€ (the price it retails here), but at the German retail price of 20€ this is well worth the money." Everything I wrote then still applies today.
(92 points) - 2018 Martin Waßmer Schlatterer Maltesergarten Spätburgunder - Germany, Baden (10.1.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from Schlatterer Maltesergarten. Aged for 15 months in barriques. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite translucent, youthful and wonderfully luminous black cherry color. The nose feels vibrant and quite fruit-forward with aromas of black raspberries, some peppered meat notes, a little bit of crunchy cranberry, light cherry tones, a hint of fresh red plum and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine feels dry and very crunchy yet still quite noticeably ripe on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of ripe black raspberries and savory notes of meaty umami, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of sweet, toasty oak spice, light crunchy notes of tart lingonberries and cranberries, a slightly bitter hint of sour cherries and a faint roasted hint of smoky character. The overall feel is very firm and sinewy - slightly tough, even - with the bright, high acidity and moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a long, intense aftertaste of tart lingonberries and sour cherry bitterness, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light toasty notes of smoky wood, a hint of vanilla and a savory touch of meaty umami.
A very serious and surprisingly tightly-knit Pinot Noir with rather dry and stern flavor profile and quite a bit of structure. I was expecting the wine to be a typical 2018 German red, ie. quite rich, round and fruit-forward. However, this turned out to be a surprisingly sulky, structure-driven effort that really could use quite a bit of age. I poured the wine blind and it took some time before people guessed if this was a Pinot Noir - many thought the wine was aromatically there, but the sinewy structure made people still go somewhere else with their guesses. All in all, this was a very lovely effort indeed - although the wine might not be showing its best as it was so young and structure-driven, it was a very impressive and enjoyable experience all the same. Perhaps a bit pricey at the winery website (39€), but at 19,90€ this has been a steal.
(93 points) - 2006 Duemani Costa Toscana Altrovino - Italy, Tuscany, Costa Toscana (10.1.2024)
A blend of biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc (50%) and Merlot (50%). The varieties are fermented spontaneously and separately in concrete tanks. Three weeks of maceration. Once the varieties are blended together, they are aged in tronconic French oak foudres for 8 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Dense, quite evolved and fully opaque blackish-red color with a faint purplish hue. The nose feels quite dark-toned and somewhat Cab-driven with aromas of ripe blackcurrants, some earthy tones, a little bit of asphalt and soot, light herbaceous leafy notes, a hint of black cherry and a touch of tobacco. The wine feels dry, chewy and quite extracted on the palate with a full body and somewhat polished flavors of ripe blackcurrants and black raspberries, some roasted meat notes, a little bit of asphalt, light evolved notes of prunes and raisins, a hint of old leather and a touch of gravelly minerality. The high acidity and quite grippy tannins make the wine feel pretty stern and muscular. The finish is dense, chewy and quite tannic with a long, dry aftertaste of black raspberries and ripe blackcurrants, some roasted game notes, a little bit of tobacco, light asphalt tones, sweet hints of prunes and raisins and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A surprisingly stern and forbidding wine that seems to have lost some of its youthful charm over the years while not really picking up anything of distinction to make up for the loss. The overall feel is somewhat meaty with a dull, aged asphalt kind of character. I enjoyed the stern, chewy structure of the wine, but unfortunately it didn't really have anything to back it up. The overall feel is that of a ripe yet structured and quite over-extracted wine, which is starting to lose its fruit, so all that remains is that stern, somewhat earthy and a bit hollow non-fruit profile. While not really a bad wine, I must say I wasn't really enamored, either.
(86 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
