Helfrich Steinklotz Grand Cru Riesling 2005
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This wine is austere and well-structured with aromas of peach, pear, white flowers and apples that meld together with a hint of minerality and a touch of petrol. This Grand Cru has gravitas and should blossom nicely over time.
The Helfrich family has been in Alsace for six generations making wine and “Eaux de vie” (Plum white brandy, Cherry brandy or Kirsch schnapps)
In 1979, Joseph Helfrich founded Les Grands Chais de France which in the past 33 years has become the second largest wine company in France. Frederic Helfrich and his sister, Anne-Laure, representing the newest generation of the family are now at the helm of the international growth and future markets for LGCF.
The winery is in Marlenheim (named Arthur Metz) just Northwest of Strasbourg, the capital of the region.
The family line of “Noble” wines are made with fruit sourced from six vineyards in the heart of Alsace’s famed “Couronne d’Or” region near the city of Strasbourg. The Grand Cru line is crafted with grapes from the Steinklotz Vineyardin in Marlenheim located nothern Alsace on the Eastern side of the Vosges Mountains
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.