Riesling Roche Granitique
2020
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 made from various granitic vineyards (younger vines from Brand, below Brand and Sommerberg if we need to do some selections of grapes). Granite soils warm up faster, so they are usually more precocious, especially near Turckheim. In warm vintages, the ripeness is not only earlier but also faster. Luckily these vineyards didn’t suffer too much from drought, so the grapes were able to keep good acidity and structure. Fermentation however was very slow not just because the grapes were very ripe but also because that was the general problem in 2022 due to the lack of soil metabolism that provoked deficiencies in nitrogen in the wines. Long lees contact are wonderful, but for some of the 2022s it was necessary to rack them earlier and refresh the lees with more active ones. Eventually the wine finished fully dry.
Straw yellow colour. Powerful nose of citrus and white fruits. Like many 2020s, the power of the vintage brings a certain aromatic austerity, and prolonged aeration is recommended when opening the wine. The mouth immediately reflects the beautiful maturity of the grapes. The aromatic power goes hand in hand with the breadth of the palate. What a wine! The mouth opens with an aromatic expression of granite complexity but also of ripe fruits. The characteristic tannins of the vintage combine with the acidity to give a strict texture on the finish. This is a very dry wine but so charming!
You can almost taste all the sunshine of this very warm vineyard site. The aromas tip over from stone fruit to fresh pineapple and white flowers. But what makes this so exciting is the vibrancy and mineral energy that so beautifully balances the juicy fruit on the palate. Very long, super-clean finish. Mostly from younger vines in the Grand Cru Brand. From biodynamically grown grapes.
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So effusive and vibrant, yet also blessed with great aromatic charm, this has a stunning combination of pineapple juiciness and smoky character. Then comes the very long, precise finish that’s so stony. From biodynamically grown grapes.
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A flinty cloud of reduction constitutes the nose for now. On the palate a picture of citrus is drawn with precision and freshness. Lemon and tangerine are alive with zest and tanginess. Sharp and crystalline, the finish is irresistible in its lip-smacking, concentrated slenderness.
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You can really smell and taste all the sunshine of the warm and dry 2020 summer in this bold and rich dry riesling, with its nose of ripe pineapple. The very fresh acidity enables it to carry easily the almost 14% of alcohol, giving the long finish impressive drive and pushing the crushed-rock minerality. Partly from the Grand Cru Brand, the rest from a nearby vineyard. From biodynamically grown grapes.
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The 2022 Riesling Roche Granitique was harvested in the Brand Grand Cru. The nose is clear as a bell with a touch of smoke and a strafe of citrus, but essentially shy. The palate is clear, bright and shining, with a spectrum of plum, from greengage via Reine Claude to Mirabelle. This is fresh, wonderfully stony, zesty, streamlined and pervasive. It's almost incisive, with just a touch of pepper on the finish and a lovely feel of grapefruit zest. (Bone-Dry)
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This is a blend from different sites that, as the name suggests, have granitic soils. A sizeable component of the blend comes from Grands Crus Brand and Sommerberg. The nose is delicate and not that expressive now. But it's fresh and crisp on the palate, with limpidity and finesse. There's fine acidity and a distinct minerality too. Long nutty finish.
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