Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire
2018
Olivier Humbrecht is one of the world's most renowned winegrowers. He is a Master of Wine and has been described by Robert Parker as the greatest white winemaker on earth. Yet he is very soft spoken, humble, and self-deprecating, which makes him perfectly suited to his assumed role as a global ambassador of wine. He is a champion of terroir, biodynamic farming principles, and non-interventionist winemaking, whose family have been winegrowers in Alsace for 12 generations (since 1620). He is...
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This wine is mostly the second wine of Pinot-Gris from the Clos Windsbuhl. Sometimes, small volumes of other single vineyards (Heimbourg and Clos Jebsal) can be used in addition, depending on vineyard selection. The old vines of Pinot-Gris in the Windsbuhl were planted in the 1960s or earlier. When the Clos was acquired in 1987, some vines needed to be pulled out (wrong grape or rootstock) and were replaced partly with some Pinot-Gris between 1988 and 1992. These ‘younger’ vines are not used in the Clos Windsbuhl and all go into this cuvée. However, the vineyard signature is well present: good acidity, elegant racy palate, but it also a tendency to keep residual sweetness if the ripeness goes just slightly too high. It is therefore very important to pick at the right moment, and Pinot-Gris can evolve very quickly, which was done perfectly in 2018.
The wine was fermented dry from very healthy grapes.
There is an immediate sense of ripe white fruits (peach, pears) and citrus aromas on the nose, with an almost ‘Riesling like’ character. The palate is refined, elegant and the dry finish adds to the complexity of the wine. Good length, medium power, so drinkable!
Here’s a stunning wine for lovers of rich Alsace pinot gris, the very lively acidity enabling it to carry a hint of sweetness without any trouble at all. Serious, chalky structure behind all the flesh and wonderfully bright citrus character at the powerful finish. From biodynamically grown grapes.
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Caramelized-pear and very ripe melon and guava notes pour from the glass of this rich but only demi-sec Alsace pinot gris. Notes of cinnamon and allspice that you don’t find in the nose. Then comes the bright, chalky acidity that beautifully balances the creaminess and spice at the long finish. Just 12.4% alcohol, yet ripe through and through. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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A fruity and flavorful wine showing ripe fruit and spices. Full-bodied, round and fruity. Lovely bright finish. Very clean, fruity and stylish with pear-skin undertones. A beauty.
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Smoky glints of stone and ripe Mirabelle plum pervade the more usual notes of ripe pear. There is an earthy undertow but the palate sits serenely with its chiseled freshness and streamlined acidity. As you linger, every sip reveals different aspects of tart citrus, fresh-cut pear peel, ginger biscuits and chalky stone. The body is slender and dry.
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Plenty of apple-ring and dried-pear character, plus a whiff of honeycomb on the nose. But this wine isn’t so much about aroma as the creamy texture and delicate, chalky minerality that counterpoints it. Quite low in acidity, but still fresh and enticing. From biodynamically grown grapes.
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Flint, smoke, chalk and cream all appear in brief flashes on the nose of this wine. The palate still holds some residual carbon dioxide but then slowly reveals serene and ripe but bright pear fruit at its core. Freshness takes its cue from a pithy texture and lends shape to this bold but fresh, bone-dry wine.
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The 2018 Pinot Gris Roche Calcaire is a beautiful wine. Apricot, chamomile, orange peel and wild flower all grace an airy, weightless Pinot Gris built on finesse and understatement. Light tropical accents add layers of nuance over time. The Roche Calcaire is mostly young vine fruit from Clos Windsbuhl. It has all of the flavor signatures of its sibling, but with less palate weight and overall depth.
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Though the aromas and flavors of dried apricot, papaya and orange peel are rich and ripe in character, this broad white is dry and lip-smacking overall, focused by intense acidity. The pronounced minerality echoes smoke and saline notes, with almond skin and paraffin hints lingering on the finish.
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Opulent and flattering. Bright fruit but not for sugar-phobes.
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